Well, here we are once again - holiday season. Regardless of your denominational predilections, we all have to face the music - and the food! Everyone wants us to drop over, bring a dish, or this year, we are hosting, and have to feed the hoards. In the olde days, it was known as the groaning board, but today, we just call it the stuffing table!! Or something like that.
But for us clubbies, we end up every year just groaning. All that extra food is NOT helping our painful tootsies one little bit! But does that exempt us from the feeding frenzy? Oh, hell no! Not in the least. So, all those pounds we struggled valiantly to shed throughout the preceding year? Voila! Theeeeeiiiiirrrrr baaaccckkk!
What to do, what to do?
There are many tried, and mostly untrue methods, but the one I use more often than not with some success is what I call the "No, thanks!" approach. It works like this:
1. Use the "island" approach to plate loading. This is quite simple - pretend you are a very picky child, who cannot abide to have the carrots touch the mashed spuds, and so on. Make sure there is visible plate space between every item on your plate. By its very nature, you will put less food on the plate! Plus, everyone will think you have OCD, and be extra kind to you. Or, avoid feeding your habit, and thus not be the one to offer you seconds. You see? It works on everyone!!
2. Make each item served the same size. Want turkey? Fine, just make sure you eat the same volume of vegetables. Don't like veggies so much? Then have just a wee little bit, and make sure your mashed taters occupy the same sized space. Excellent portion control strategy. Now, you try it!
3. Skip the bread. In fact, try to decline at least one item from any meal that is pure carbs and/or starch - taters, rice, bread, pastries, etc. I am NOT suggesting you deny yourself holiday pleasures, just be more selective. You will find you enjoy the one's you do have much more.
4. Use the tight belt theory - if you have to let out your belt one notch, you are clearly full. Now, raise your hands, and step away from that table, pardner!! I've got my eye on you!!
5. Learn to tell the difference between being full, and being not hungry. It usually takes us a while before we feel full, but by then, we have already most certainly and absolutely eaten too much. Admit it - we are all just little piglets at heart. But if you slow down your eating, taking long pauses between bites, you will realize more rapidly when you are no longer hungry. Once you do realize that - stop. Drop that fork right now!! Push back your chair, raise your glass of fine CaliforniaItalianFrenchGreekAustralianArgentinian wine and toast your host as the most with a boast about either Coast! Don't forget to smile!
6. A word about noshing between meals. Don't.
7. Conversation and good friends should appease your real hunger. Food is merely the lubricant to engender that process. Remember you wanted to dance after dinner? Think how much better you will dance if you are light on your feet!
OK. Now, it's up to you. Go on, take it for a spin! Handles nice, right? Making Merry with Mary and Mark in the Holiday-o-choice spirit should enlighten, not enheavi-en (OK, not a real word - but it SHOULD be, right?) You have the wheel, you are in control.
Now, be a mensch - pass that pie!! Uh, sorry, just kidding!!!
Happy Holidays!!
