This year, if you follow Dr. Phil's advice, you can actually lose weight over the holidays without feeling deprived. Here are some of Dr. Phil's tips:
- Change your attitude.Make a conscious decision to focus on the fellowship, catching up on people's lives, relaxing, and the spirit of the season ... not on the food. Don't lose sight of what the holidays are really about.
- Plan one day at a time.Willpower won't get you far when you start soaking up the sights and sounds of the holidays.
- Eat three meals a day and two snacks, and exercise daily.
- Show up with a dish that you know you can eat.You don't have to tell everyone you brought a high-response cost, high-yield food as your dish!
- Eat before you go. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to show up hungry and not have the right foods around. If you know you're headed to a target-rich environment, don't stack the odds against you.
- Pay attention to your portions. If you've eaten three appetizers already, you should cut back on your entree.
- Don't wear elastic pants, which allow you to overeat.
- Position yourself away from the food.Literally, where you're standing in the room can make a huge difference in how much food you end up eating.
- Limit your alcohol.Remember that alcohol slows your metabolism and reduces your inhibitions, which can lead to overeating.
- Eat high-response cost foods first.That way, you'll only want a few bites of the other goodies that really aren't so good for you.
- Make a pact with your date.Keep an eye on each other to avoid overeating.
- Make decisions ahead of time. Plan what you're going to eat and write it down.
- Eat sitting down, and eat slowly.
- Take Dr. Phil with you — or the next best thing.Print out Dr. Phil's cards if you need his support when your relatives are trying to love you with food. Click here.
