Every year at about this time, people’s thoughts begin shifting from the cornucopia that is Thanksgiving to the full-on bloat-your-belly, eat-till-you-drop, gluttonous food feast that is Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. Eating your way through the holiday. It’s the spirit of holiday eating; everyone does it. Even though Covid-19 threw a wrench in nearly everyone’s Thanksgiving plans and curtailed the cooking frenzy — menus went from immense spreads that could easily feed an army of 20 to cozy meals for 2 or 3 — we made the most of it.

The year isn’t over yet, and there’s still more cooking to be done, more of Granny’s recipes scribbled on index cards to be pulled out of junk drawers, and the promise of at least one glass of spiked eggnog to guzzle down before we call it a year. And what a helluva year it’s been, amiright?!?

Many of you will be staying put this year and celebrating the holidays with immediate family or household members, while others will throw caution to the wind and go spreading joy (and coronavirus) all across the land. Before you begin mapping out your chomping game plan (even though many of you over achievers already got a jump on things with your Thanksgiving eating and you don’t plan to slow down until January 2, 2021), there are practical steps you can take to help curb weight gain during this holiday season. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but the alternative is getting on the scale in January and acting all shocked and surprised when the number registers 15 pounds more than it does today. Yeah, I’m talking to you; you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. (Sorry, a little bit of tough love here; you know I got you, boo.)

Every year I offer these same tips in updated form. They’re practical tips designed to help and, really, even though I said “it’s not going to be easy,” above, they’re not that difficult. 

1. If you currently exercise, don’t abandon your regular routine. If you don’t exercise, now might be a good time to start (not just for a day or two…think long-term). Don’t be intimated by the word ‘exercise’. It doesn’t have to mean sweating it out for two hours in a smelly gym (wait…are you still going to the gym with Covid-19 lurking in every corner?!?) Try taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day. The fresh air will do you good and you’ll burn a few calories in the process. And, no, it doesn’t matter what shape or size you are . . . you can get a bit of exercise in.
2. Don’t set out on a major weight loss blitz during the holidays. (Okay, you might be able to shed a pound or two, but save the whopping 20 pound weight loss for post-holiday.) Chances are you won’t be able to have any significant weight loss with all of the tempting food surrounding you, and you’ll end up angry, bitter and sitting in the corner eating cookie dough ice cream by the gallon. Instead, during the holiday season, focus your attentions on eating right and maintaining your current weight. (TIP: you don’t have to be dieting to eat healthy).
3. Don’t skip meals or starve yourself. You’ll end up hangry (‘hungry’ + ‘angry’ = ‘hangry’…and, yes, being hangry is a real thing). Never make the mistake of ‘saving up your hungry’ for the big feast. You’ll likely overeat when it’s time to sit down at the table and, in the end, you’ll feel absolutely miserable.
4. Speaking of overeating, give your stomach ample time to communicate with your brain to tell it whether or not it’s full. When you’ve finished that first plate of food, even though you may be tempted to go back for seconds right away, wait 20 minutes for the message to reach your brain. This is about the length of time it takes for your brain to recognize that you are, in fact, full. There’s science behind that; I’m not making this up.
5. Instead of piling your food on a plate that’s as large as a satellite dish, choose a smaller sized plate so that it limits the amount of food that you can put on it. Then, once you’ve finished with that plate of food, see tip No. 4 on waiting for your brain to receive the message that you’re full before you decide to go back for seconds.
6. Holiday eating is not an Olympic sport. Take the time to chew your food thoroughly. It aids in digestion and you won’t be swallowing giant lumps of food that will sit in your stomach like lead balls or damn near choke the life out of you. 
7. Don’t be afraid to say “No.” Just because someone is offering you a third piece of cake or pie doesn’t mean you have to accept it. Let your willpower do the speaking for you.
8. Get your drink on . . . water, that is. While you may be tempted to indulge in several glasses of wine or toss back a beer or two (or six) in one sitting on Christmas and throughout the holidays, try substituting a cocktail with a bottle of water. Water keeps you hydrated, quenches your thirst and won’t leave you parched or with cotton mouth.
9. Snug is better! While this tip may sound a bit bizarre, it may help when you feel yourself beginning to overeat. Ladies, instead of wearing an oversized muumuu before you sit down to that turkey or ham dinner (admit it; we’ve all done it; I’ve done it), wear a pair of jeans that fit just right. And gentleman, skip the baggy gym-style pants and wear a pair of nice khakis. Not only will you look great, but you’ll thank yourself when you resist the urge to go back for that third plate of food because your clothes will be too snug. When you level the playing field from the beginning, you stand a better chance at success rather than eating to excess.
10. Choose with care. Instead of getting a little bit of this and a little bit of that—which could include all 29 food items prepared for the big feast—take a moment to scan the cornucopia of food before piling it on your plate. There’s no hard and fast Christmas dinner rule that states “Thou must eat everything that is cooked.” Choose wisely and you eat wisely.

Holiday eating takes strategizing. Gone are the days of simply diving in with a knife and fork. Okay, maybe that’s not so true, but it sounded good, didn’t it? Anywho, ultimately you know what works for you and what doesn’t work. No matter how you prepare, no matter what you put on your plate, no matter what you drink, enjoy yourself this holiday season. It’s gonna be one for the record books!

Are you eating your way through the holidays?