How Not to Overeat During the Busy, Stressful Winter Holiday Season

The winter holidays from Halloween trough to Thanksgiving and onto Hanukkah and Christmas are filled with opportunities to overeat. Parties and gatherings greet us with yummy, fattening, comfort foods while the additional activities, tasks and work associated with creating memorable winter holidays can contribute to stress-induced overeating. Here are tips to ensure a joyous winter holiday season free of overeating, stress and guilt.

Know Winter Holiday Cravings Are Normal: During any stressful situation, it's normal to want to feel better quickly. Eating is often an automatic and sometimes even unconscious response to the tension and stress that can come with the holidays. Don't beat yourself up for this natural and normal impulse. Doing so will only make you more stressed. Acknowledge what you are feeling and learn to listen to your body's stress signals (oncoming headache, rapid breathing, tense shoulders, etc.) so you can break the tension before the stress gets so bad you're reaching for additional food.

Pause And Remember Any Hard Holiday Lessons: When you find yourself mindlessly reaching for the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, Hanukkah latkes, or Christmas fudge with egg nog, stop and check in with yourself. Ask yourself if you really need the holiday treats or if you're just seeking comfort from the stress of the winter holidays. Since most Americans gain at least a pound (that can accumulate over time) over the winter holidays, chances are you've regretted holiday overeating in the past. Remember the guilt, shame and stress that followed these winter holiday indulgences and realize that you can do better this year. Vow to make better choices by replacing impulsive holiday behaviors with healthy ones.