As the weather continues to cool, some people may find themselves staying indoors more often. This can lead to decreased movement as there may not be many things to do. Coupled with aimless eating (i.e. eating out of boredom, emotional eating, etc.), this can lead to unintentional weight gain and may cause one to develop adverse eating habits. This week, we’ll tell you some tips for avoiding weight gain this holiday and practicing mindful eating. Firstly, you want to stay focused on continuing the good habits that you’ve already developed for weight loss. Follow that up by continuing to track what you’re eating so you can stay on a winning streak as you end 2022. Some other things you can do to stay on track include finding ways to be mobile and active (i.e. at home, work, etc.), being mindful when grocery shopping, being active at group gatherings, and eating mindfully.
Find ways to be active. Of course, the most notable thing is to get moving! If your job requires you to sit at a desk (whether at home or in the office), take breaks to get up and walk around. Take the steps instead of the elevator, park farther away when driving somewhere, etc. Take a look at our Home Exercise Ideas and Equipment blog for some additional ideas.
Be mindful when grocery shopping. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. “Going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is a bad idea. You’re bound to make poor decisions that are not based on nutritional content of the food but on temporary cravings that will leave you asking for more later.” (Salomé, 2018). Someone who is shopping while hungry may end up buying more high-calorie foods or foods that can immediately be eaten in order to satisfy the body’s current need. As such, even if you’re only able to grab a small snack, like a piece of fruit or a bag of nuts, be sure to eat something. In addition, try creating a list of what you want to buy from the store. One tip in making an effective list is to first think of what you want to cook.. This way, you’ll know exactly what you need and won’t spend too much time in-store (and possibly avoid getting distracted by the things you don’t need).
Group gatherings. Whether it’s family and/or friends, you may attend or host a gathering this holiday. And during these gatherings, there’s a high possibility of there being a big dinner. As mentioned in our Tips for Eating & Storing blog, some tips to help out with dinner include: using smaller plates, pacing yourself when eating (taking a break before deciding whether you go for a second plate), drinking water before and while eating, avoiding distractions when eating, and portioning your plate properly. Also, don’t limit the gatherings to just a meal—get up and moving! Do some fun activities that involve being mobile, such as dancing, charades, water balloon toss, an egg race, etc.
Eat mindfully. Yep. You’ve heard this before. You want to make sure that you are eating mindfully. One thing this means is paying attention to what you put on your plate. Try to avoid overloading it with carbs and fatty foods and lean more towards fresh veggies, fruits, and protein. Of course, you can reference MYPLate to get a better idea of portioning your meals.
Keep in mind that these things may take some practice before you’re used to them. Be patient and understanding of yourself as you develop your eating habits to go in the direction of your choice. Remember: you can do anything you set your mind to!
Salomé P. A. (2018). Don’t Go Grocery Shopping When Hungry! Systemic Signaling in Zinc Homeostasis. The Plant cell, 30(10), 2236–2237. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00700
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
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