Don't Stress About the Holiday Season! by Sarah Enouen

This is a wonderful time of year! The most wonderful according to some. We get to see a lot of our family and close friends, there are work parties, school events, and don't forget the birthdays that are sprinkled in there. At every one of these things there is also food. And lots of it. Maybe even a little alcohol, or lots of it. You can make it through this time of year without adding on the pounds you worked so hard to get off for the summer though! You can even do it going to each of the events that you're invited to, and without being the party pooper.

If you know there's going to be nothing but unhealthy options there, eat a small meal before going and just have one or two small goodies. It sounds cliche, but eat slowly; savor the goodies. You can get the same satisfaction with less food if you do. With something like a holiday meal where you can't offend Grandma or Mom by not trying their dish, just grab a small plate and fill it with very small portions of everything. If it's not a sit-down type of meal, put everything you're going to eat on a plate so you can see your portion sizes. Don't go back for seconds, unless it's more veggies and try and hold off on dessert until 2-3 hours after dinner. Perhaps you can talk another family member into splitting some pie with you. The parties can be hard not because of the food, but because of the dranks! Commit to having a water after every drink, it will help you avoid a headache in the morning and also not leave you empty handed and open to people noticing said empty hand. If someone does happen to catch you empty handed and bring you another, drink it as slowly as you can. Yes, you can sip on that shot.

With this time of year being so festive, you should be able to enjoy it! Don't stress, just be mindful and have fun. I know I will!