Fix holiday eating problems -

For some reason, this time of year I forget lots of things. I don’t have a memory problem. Instead, I have an attitude problem!

Here are a few tools I’ve forgotten to use for a while. But I’m determined to put them back into my life. I will let you know how that turns out. I’ve added a few details to help you remember them.

1. Slow down!
Whether you’re eating alone or you’re at a huge gathering, slow down and notice what you’re eating. Appreciate the flavor and texture of your food and feel grateful for it instead of taking your meal for granted.

To train yourself to eat more slowly, at the start of your meal, set a timer or your watch alarm for 20 minutes. Then, pace yourself (even if you’re eating a sandwich) so that you’ll be finishing the last bite of your food when the time is up.

Eventually, you will become more conscious of eating slowly and you’ll pace yourself automatically.

2. Half-off special
One of my favorite tools for managing serving sizes is the “half-off special.”

That simply means eating half as much as you normally would, or taking half of the amount you actually want.

For example, if you’re having lasagna, picture the large serving you’d usually eat, then take half that much. If you want a cookie, divide it into two pieces, then eat only one.

At lunchtime, cut your sandwich in half, then add a piece of fruit to complete your meal. If you don’t feel totally satisfied after eating half a sandwich, save the rest for at least two hours, then decide if you still need it.

The “half-off” approach works especially well at banquets or meals that involve several courses. By eating half of each food item, you get to appreciate all the tastes but don’t leave the table feeling stuffed.

3. Stop when you’re satisfied, not when you’re full
That sounds great, but how do you know when you’re full or you’ve eaten enough?

Unlike what you might think, to recognize fullness, you have to listen to your stomach instead of looking at your plate.

As you are eating, your stomach muscles begin to expand to accommodate the food. If you pay careful attention to how your abdominal area feels, you can determine the precise amount of food your body requires.

At some point during a meal or even a snack, you’ll begin to notice a slight pressure or change within your stomach area. Soon after that, you’ll reach a level where you feel satisfied, and your abdomen feels comfortable or “just right.” This is the perfect time to stop eating.

Suppose you really like your food, so you eat more. Before long, you’ll notice your abdomen starts to feel slightly puffy and you’ll realize you’re too full.

Sometimes you’ll notice this level after just one extra bite; other times it will take an extra serving of food. But either way, you’ll still be too full.

Now picture eating a holiday meal such as the kind you might have on Thanksgiving Day. Because you love the special foods, you keep eating long after you’re full.

At some point, you’ll realize you feel stuffed, almost miserable. Of course, this isn’t the level that will help you manage your weight.

Practice recognizing the exact time when you feel totally satisfied or just right. Then regardless of what’s left on your plate, stop eating right at that point.

I plan to use these three tools a lot over the next couple weeks. And I’m confident they will help me manage my eating during the holiday season.

Here is a story I had published on Medium. I hope it will brighten your day:

Kicking a Teddy Bear Healed My Emotional Pain