Holidays are a great way to get together with family and friends, but when you’re trying to stay healthy or lose weight it can be hard not to indulge in all the yummy foods. I know all to well how it feels to just compulsively eat just because the food is right there in front of me. Unfortunately, sometimes that’s just enough to make you fall off track. With Easter coming up, here are 7 tips to minimize the affects of Easter on your weight loss journey so you can enjoy yourself while still honoring your health and building self-control.

1. CALORIES MATTER
   Eat a smaller nutrient dense breakfast and save your calories for that larger meal with family and friends. For example, a small bowl of oatmeal with berries in it or avocado toast. Just something to get you through the morning but still gives you the option to eat what you want without depriving yourself at the family gathering.

2. TRICK YOUR BRAIN
   Have you ever tried putting the same amount of food into different sized bowls and noticed what happens? The smaller bowl seems fuller than the larger one. It’s easy to overdo it when you have the space, so either use a smaller plate when eating so you can grab that second helping or fill your larger plate half full. This way you are

3. GET MOVING
   The more you move the more you burn. If you can, try to get a workout in before your feast! This is a great way to burn some calories and then even if you indulge a bit, it doesn’t impact your weight loss as much.

4. POSITION YOURSELF WISELY
   When appetizers are in front of you it can be hard to stop yourself from the compulsion of stuffing your face. So, grab a napkin or a small plate and put a few things on it, then sit somewhere else. This way, once you’ve finished your plate, you will have to get up for more, or perhaps you’ll get sucked into a conversation rather than popping more food in your mouth.

5. BE PRESENT
   That brings me to my next trick. Sometimes we’re having so much fun that we are distracted from how we are eating. Why does that matter? Well, have you ever had a bowl of popcorn while watching a movie? When you get to the bottom of the bowl, have you ever wondered how it just seemed to disappear without warning? That’s because your attention wasn’t on how you were eating and we don’t realize how much we are eating or even if we are hungry while it’s happening. So, as you eat notice everything about your food. What is the texture like? Do you like the taste? etc. You get the idea. Just noticing as you take a bite that another bite is going in.

6. SLOW DOWN
   When eating, there is about a 20 minute delay between when you eat your food and when your brain recognizes it. So, when you eat quickly, like you might do if you’re in a rush, there’s a greater chance of overeating. One thin you can do is slow down in order to help your brain catch up. Some ideas for slowing down are chewing your food as much as possible before swallowing it, putting your utensils down after each bite, and taking a sip of water after each bit as well. The holidays are meant to be a social time, so take some time to chat with those around you before taking your next bite.

7. MANAGE YOUR SWEET TOOTH
   I love dessert and would never say skip it, but there are some things you can do so your sweet tooth doesn’t have a huge impact on your weight loss. If there’s only one dessert then have a slice that’s anywhere from a sliver to the size of your palm. However, sometimes at these gatherings there are multiple dessert options and if you’re like me you might want a bunch of them or a little bit of everything. So, I like to get a sample size of each dessert I like so I don’t feel like I missed out on any of them. Allow yourself to be part of the celebration and indulge a little. This does a couple of things. First, you won’t feel like you’re depriving yourself of these yummy things you don’t get daily. It also gives you the opportunity to practice self-control around foods you love and maybe even obsess over.

I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you over the weekend! Just remember, these tips can work for any gathering whether it’s a barbecue, a holiday gathering, or some other festive event. These are great habits to start to develop and building into your routine so you can feel enjoy while practicing self-control.

Cheers to your wellness!