10 Tips To Avoid Overeating At Christmas

The stress of preparing for Christmas, the huge array of delicious-looking festive foods in the shops and restaurants, food gifts we receive as well as the eating behaviour of those around us create a perfect formula for overeating. Many people get to January a fair few pounds heavier and in dire need of a break from all the rich, festive food. If you’re looking to avoid excessive weight gain this year and want to fully enjoy your food whilst not overdoing it, then try out some of the tips below. We can eat mindfully and yet still very much enjoy festive food and drink over Christmas without going completely overboard.

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1. Buy Less

It can be so easy to fall for the numerous special offers on food at Christmas and buy the same every year- and more. Perhaps you buy a large tin of chocolates, which you leave on your coffee table for people to munch on. Each year food marketeers bring out new flavours of food and drink, and for those individuals who have a fear of missing out (FOMO), it can be really hard to not buy what’s on sale.

When there’s food in the house, it’s very easy to eat it (especially if it’s within reach, or the packet is open). “You can’t waste food” is a really common attitude and gives people an excuse to overeat, and to polish off everything they’ve bought. How many times have you ended up with a stack of chocolates or biscuits that you just want gone because you’re going back on the diet in the next few days? Draw up a plan of which foods you will buy this year along with quantities. It’s understandable if you prefer to have too much than too little, especially if you’re hosting a lot of people, but try to be less spontaneous when doing your Christmas food shop. If you write a shopping list, stick to it as much as possible.

2. Eat What You Really Want And Pass On The Rest

It’s important to enjoy food, whilst feeling in charge of your eating. With mindless overeating there can be very little enjoyment. A good way to regulate your eating is to go for the foods you really want to eat but then pass on others- then savour and fully enjoy the ones you love. We’re often seeking that pleasure hit from food, and if we’re not particularly enjoying the flavour of a food, or eating it mindlessly, we might keep on eating until we find something that gives us that hit, resulting in overeating.  If there’s a box of chocolates, give to others those you’re not keen on or throw them away, and enjoy those you really like. And just be more present with food. If you notice you’re not enjoying something, stop. It can feel like a great achievement when you’re able to take charge of the food environment by being more selective, whilst enjoying a bit of what you fancy.

3. Keep Food Out Of Sight Or Reach

Visual food cues are powerful. A huge trigger for overeating is food that’s within reach or in sight. Is it tradition for you to have chocolates, biscuits, nuts or crisps on the coffee table, lying on a kitchen surface or in the office over Christmas? You can still give yourself permission to eat festive treats, but if the food around you is too much of a temptation, discuss with colleagues or family members how to manage the food and come to an agreement. You could also make a decision to stick to a certain limit and then really savour and enjoy what you have. If possible, place the food elsewhere so that you have to go and fetch it to eat it and then don’t go back for more. Try to eat according to whether or not you’re hungry, but at the same time do address visual food cues as it can be a challenge to not eat something regardless of whether or not we’re hungry, when food is in sight or within reach.

4. Create Strategies And Plan

When we set intentions in advance to do something, we’re more likely to do it. Having some clarity in terms of how to go about something can give you a better chance of achieving it, and so creating strategies and planning can be really helpful. If you want to feel more in charge of food and drink this festive season, decide in advance of events or situations roughly what and how much you will eat or drink. For example, if there’s a lot of festive food flying around in the office, either take in your own healthier snacks instead or decide how many chocolates, mince pies or biscuits you will limit yourself to per day. If you tend to eat second helpings or have large portions at mealtimes, plan in advance to have just one helping or set the intention to serve yourself less than you normally would (our bodies often need less food than we think!). Perhaps you don’t usually enjoy second helpings as much as the first, and maybe you often feel overly stuffed from large portions. Create in advance a strategy for dealing with leftovers (for example, freeze them, make them into a handy meal for the next day or even throw the food away). If you’re a plate-clearer, make a decision in advance to avoid picking at other family members’ food if they leave any on their plate.

If you’re eating out at restaurants over Christmas, decide before you go to avoid getting overly stuffed and have two courses rather than three. You could opt for three courses if you wish, but you might enjoy your meal more if at least one of the courses is a lighter, healthier option. If you don’t want to overdo the calories in restaurants (or at home), a simple way is to plan to avoid meals that are overly rich, such as fried or battered foods or creamy or cheesy sauces. Planning meals and snack foods can also help to take the stress out of food shopping, and put a limit on impulsive food purchases. Creating your own personalised strategies and planning in advance can make all the difference, compared to making more spontaneous, potentially thoughtless and regrettable food decisions in the moment.

5. Don’t Graze: Each Mouthful Adds Up

Some people are ‘grazers’, whether through skipping meals, boredom, because they’re influenced by external cues to eat (such as the sight or proximity of food), because they’re emotional eaters or they’re hungry whilst preparing the evening meal. Don’t kid yourself each time you pop food into your mouth that ‘it’s only a mouthful’- mouthfuls add up! Be wary of forgetting what you’ve eaten too- losing track of how much you’re consuming over the course of a day can easily happen if you have a tendency to graze. It’s easy to think that if something is only a mouthful it doesn’t count or is only a few calories- many festive foods are very calorie-dense, so popping food in the mouth here and there can result in a significant number of calories consumed and soon adds up if grazing on food all day. The trouble with grazing is that it isn’t physically or psychologically satisfying as it’s often mindless, and if it’s just small bits of food here and there that don’t satiate us, it can cause us to look for more food. Grazing on sugary foods can also cause blood sugar peaks and dips and frequent hunger, which can make it hard to stop eating. Aim for more structured, satisfying eating, such as 3 meals and 1-2 snacks.

6. Have Some Strategies For TV Eating

For many people, TV is an integral part of Christmas enjoyment, escapism and relaxation, and we have so many channels these days! From my experience of working with clients, TV can be a huge trigger for mindless overeating, whatever time of year. When we’re distracted by TV, it’s easy to not notice how much we’re eating; or if the programme you’re watching isn’t very stimulating, you might get the ‘munchies’. Watching TV is a deeply ingrained habit for many, especially in the evenings when energy levels are lower. If you watch TV for extended periods, consider reducing TV time; alternate TV with other activities- enjoy playing some board games, do some cooking prep or have a chat with someone, either in person or via video call. Do a hobby whilst the TV is on, if practical (this can help to keep the hands busy). A good strategy is to put an amount of food from the kitchen into a bowl, take it with you to watch TV and enjoy the amount without going back multiple trips for more. Remove any food present in the TV room if you have a tendency to mindlessly nibble- either to another room or don’t have it right next to you on the sofa or coffee table within reach. Always remember ‘the power of an open packet!’. Small individual packets can help us to still enjoy foods we love but less of them.

7. Don’t Use A Quick-Fix Diet Solution In January As An Excuse To Overeat At Christmas

I’ve worked with many people over the years, and it’s really common for individuals to feel trapped in yo-yo dieting, swinging between restrictive eating (dieting) and overeating, and labelling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. ‘Middle-way’ (or balanced) eating can feel like an alien concept, which involves being generally mindful about food choices, eating in a flexible way and not feeling your eating is either ‘good’ or ‘bad’.

Weight loss diets can feel like a ‘saviour’ after Christmas, giving people an excuse to overindulge at Christmas, and even the majority of December. If a person feels they can ‘solve’ all their festive overeating and weight gain with a restrictive diet in January, this may encourage them to overindulge at Christmas because they know they’ll get back on the diet in the new year. But weight gain at the end of Christmas doesn’t feel good, and it only reinforces to people a belief that they can’t control their eating unless they’re on a diet.

In contrast, a person who has no intention of doing a quick-fix diet come January is more likely to be more mindful with food at Christmas, to avoid gaining too much weight. It’s better to adopt a ‘maintain not gain’ mindset than a ‘feast then famine’ approach, or to be generally vigilant and if you gain two or three pounds it’s not the end of the world.  Whilst a reliance on dieting can keep us trapped in a cycle of black and white thinking and behaviours, in contrast, mindful eating can help us to fully enjoy food whilst feeling in charge of it- and the great news is you don’t ever have to go back on a diet! (see below: ‘Eat Mindfully’).

8. Eat Mindfully

Mindful eating is about being present with food in the moment (whilst not allowing lots of distractions to impair the eating process), enjoying food by savouring the taste and texture, being aware of when your body has had enough to eat so that you’re tuning into the body’s needs (connecting mind and body), and taking into consideration the body’s nutritional needs (most of the time) whilst having pleasurable, satisfying eating experiences. It’s also about giving yourself choice around food, permission to eat the foods you enjoy in moderate quantities, not allowing yourself to get overly hungry or depriving yourself, which can lead to food cravings and overeating, and learning to feel satisfied when eating the right amount of food for your body (both physically and psychologically). Self-awareness is key- being aware of not just what you eat, but how and why you eat. It enables balanced, flexible eating, not ‘perfect’, rule-based eating. No one food is ‘bad’- it’s how much of it you eat and how often you eat it that counts. Read about all-or-nothing thinking and behaviours and the benefits of the mindful eating approach in my other blog post: ‘Stop Yo-Yo Dieting With Middle-Way Eating’.

Think Before You Eat & Leave Some Food On Your Plate

Eating can be habitual, and done with little thought- mindless eating is so easy! When food is present, check in with yourself, for example: ‘Do I want to eat this?’, ‘Will this food taste as good as it looks?’, ‘Why am I eating this?’, ‘Am I enjoying this?’. If your plate is piled up, consider whether you need to eat it all and leave some if you’ve had enough. I’ve met so many people who struggle to leave food on their plate because they were told as children to clear their plate. If you struggle to leave food, serve yourself a smaller portion- but try experimenting with leaving some food, even if it’s just a tiny bit to start with.

If you’re offered food or tempted to eat something, think about whether you actually want that particular food and how close you are to the next mealtime. If it’s less than half an hour away and you’re not particularly hungry, don’t eat. Food will always be there!

Assess How Much You’re Enjoying Your Food

Fast eating is linked to overeating and obesity, so if you’re a fast eater try to slow down. Avoid eating when distracted to help you focus on and savour your food- that way you’ll feel satisfied and won’t go looking for more food. With mindless eating there can be little enjoyment, so assess your enjoyment levels and if you’re not enjoying a food, stop eating it.

Keep Up The Fruit & Veg

Try to keep up your usual intake of fruit, vegetables and salad over Christmas- it’s very easy to eat less of them when there are other tasty, higher calorie foods about. Including fruit and vegetables in meals and snacks will help to bulk up the plate and fill you up for fewer calories and counteract rich, fatty flavours. It can also help to keep us regular (for some people, a change of diet including reduced fibre and an increase in sugary foods can lead to constipation). Fibre also helps to feed the ‘good’ bacteria in the gut, and a healthy gut microbiome plays an essential role in immunity. It’s fine to enjoy festive foods we might not normally eat, but try to balance those foods with variety, including the nutritious plant-based foods the body and brain need.

Spot Excessive Excuse-Making

It’s very easy to find excuses to eat. If we use excuses to eat without thinking about whether or not we’re hungry or whether we even really want the food, it’s easy to overeat. Overeating can become problematic when we find ourselves frequently using excuses. Some people feel guilty when they eat certain foods, believing that they’re ‘bad’, and so they might feel the need to justify their eating. Common excuses to eat and overeat include: ‘Oh go on then, it’s Christmas!’, ‘I might as well finish the packet’, ‘We might as well buy it if it’s on special offer’, ‘If you’re having one I’ll have one’, ‘I’ve had a hard day’, ‘There’s no point in leaving any’, ‘You can’t waste food’, ‘I’ll be back on the diet soon so I may as well indulge’. Try to notice when you’re making excuses to eat and how often they happen- occasionally is fine, but if it’s happening a lot, this can lead to overeating and potential weight gain. Perhaps sometimes you could try replacing excuses to eat with excuses not to eat, especially if you’re not hungry or don’t fancy eating a particular food.

Do Some Calorie-Shaving

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking we need more food than we actually do. Whether or not it’s other people influencing your eating or yourself making food choices, consider doing some ‘calorie-shaving’ over the festive period if you want to reduce your overall food and drink consumption. This means opting for smaller portions of food, smaller sized drinks or fewer sugary drinks,  or going for lower calorie versions such as reduced fat cheeses. If you’re feeling comfortably full, leave a bit of food on your plate rather than clearing the plate out of habit; buy mini mince pies rather than regular ones (sometimes all we want is a couple of mouthfuls of something sweet), serve yourself your own portion of potatoes or dessert, or choose a regular coffee in the cafe rather than a high-calorie festive coffee. Calorie-shaving is not about calorie counting- it’s really effective, especially when it comes to calorie-dense foods and it’s amazing how the calories not eaten add up!

9. Be Aware Of How Others Might Be Contributing To Your Overeating

Don’t let other people dictate what or how much you eat or drink. Some people are feeders or food ‘pushers’- is there a person in your office or a family member who regularly encourages you to eat, and you find that you often end up eating when you didn’t even want any food in the first place? Perhaps colleagues place food on your desk, or loved ones regularly buy you food treats or bring food to you when you’re watching TV when you haven’t asked for any. Or perhaps you fancy the food, and find it hard to say no to food offers or experience FOMO (fear of missing out) when you see others eating in front of you. Perhaps your eating helps to justify their eating and makes them feel better about their own eating, so be wary of others sabotaging your intentions. If you have a tendency to overeat or you’re an emotional eater, bear in mind that you might be welcoming other people’s offers of food as an excuse to eat and fulfil your emotional urge to eat. If you want to avoid excessive overeating over the festive period, firstly, be clear in your own mind by creating some strategies, and then communicate your needs and intentions to others.

Get Adequate Sleep To Control Appetite

Listen to your body. If you’re feeling tired, perhaps due to lots of festive partying or staying up late to watch films, have an early night. Lack of sleep affects appetite hormones, which can cause food cravings and a desire to eat more than usual the next day. The occasional late night is ok, but being encouraged to stay up late by others around you may lead to too many late nights which can lead to lethargy, have a negative effect on mood, cause carbohydrate cravings and make balanced, healthy eating harder.

10. Consider Your Relationship With Food If You’re Compulsively Overeating

If you have a tendency to overeat at Christmas and find it hard to control your food intake, consider whether you have a tendency to overeat all year round. Many people use Christmas and other holiday times as a justification for overeating, and holiday times might make them feel better about themselves because it’s a time that’s considered an excuse to let go of the rules and indulge. There’s nothing wrong with a few days of overindulgence as long as we get back on track, but if overeating is happening all year round too, it’s important that you address your relationship with food and whether you might be using food as a coping strategy or for other emotional reasons.

Summary

If you want to avoid overeating too much at Christmas, there are a lot of steps you can take to help you feel more in charge of your eating. Eating in moderation using mindful eating strategies is still very much enjoyable and can be more enjoyable than mindless overeating, and you can get to the end of Christmas feeling a sense of achievement, rather than rushing to get back to that diet to lose all the pounds you gained. Mindful eating isn’t restrictive, it doesn’t involve feeling deprived- it’s flexible, more balanced, and it means you don’t have to go on restrictive diets anymore; you just have to pay a bit more attention to what and how much you’re eating, and eat according to the body’s needs whilst eating foods you really enjoy. Embark on a fresh approach by trying out some of these ten tips- you can then use these handy tips all year round.

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