OVERINDULGENCE….
It’s the festive time of year! This is a time of year when often there are work parties, after school break -up parties, more frequent catch ups with friends and family and of course Christmas day and Boxing day and the events just keep going. We find we are grabbing more sweets and treats or just overeating and drinking than we may have done for the last 6 months.
How do we curb this so we can still enjoy our parties and not regret having put on several kilos, feel sluggish, bloated and have brain fog.
It’s all about balance! I know it sounds simple but there are some things you can be mindful of to ensure you don’t have to feel guilty or worse feel unwell. Let’s enjoy the festivities!
- Firstly, food choices! The best way to start is to ensure you fill up on protein rich foods and vegetables rather than refined carbohydrate and nutrient-less foods. Proteins leave you feeling fuller and less likely to keep eating the sweet treats or unhealthy food choices. Some good sources of protein include: organic poultry, grass fed meats, nuts and seeds, legumes and eggs.
2. Stand a few metres away from the snack table to avoid mindless handfuls of food being shoved in! Eat slowly so you notice when you begin to feel full and don’t go back for seconds too quickly.
3. Check in before you grab another bite to eat. Are you really hungry? Tune into your body signals. What is your stomach telling you? Often you aren’t hungry and it just becomes a social habit to keep eating. Choosing the wrong kind of treats is known as hedonic eating. It feels good and increases our dopamine levels but it also leads to unwanted kilograms. Instead choose a healthier option – protein rich foods, bliss balls, fruit, vege sticks or maybe just sip water.
4. Portion sizes – choose a small plate or choose small amounts of different foods you like.
5. If you do have something you know isn’t a healthy choice then enjoy its sweetness, it’s taste and texture. Don’t feel guilty as deprivation is a powerful stimulant and will drive you to want more. In other words, a small amount is enough to satisfy.
6. Drinking – It’s hard to curb this in a social setting but perhaps choose to drink an alcoholic beverage every 2nd drink which will also help to reduce the sore head the next day and your liver will be thanking you.
If you do find you have overindulged, take a relaxing walk, sip water with a squeeze of lemon to stimulate digestion and perhaps have a later breakfast to increase the overnight fasting.
Melissa Le Breton
Naturopath
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