Life Coaching Tips for How to Manage Christmas Lunch

Each year, at this time of year, so many clients come and talk to me about how to manage their Christmas lunch.

Many people worry about eating too much, drinking too much, putting on weight, managing their weight, keeping trim and being healthy with so much food in front of them on Christmas Day and the days and events leading up to Christmas and over the holiday period right through to the New Year.

Below I’ve listed some of the top tips my clients have themselves come up with over the years, which you may find helpful in managing your meals over this festive season. You can adapt and change them to suit yourself, your circumstances and your personality, and if you do have any more good ideas and tips for how to manage Christmas lunch then please do share them in the comments area below.

And, if you know anyone else who could benefit from some tips on how to manage their Christmas lunch, do forward them this blog – this is the season of giving after all!!

Tips on how to manage Christmas lunch:

1. Drink water at the start of each day, and before every meal; there’s no fixed amount.  If you can manage two or even three glasses that will help you feel full before you start eating so it will naturally cause you to eat less.  Even one glass is good, do what feels right for you.
2. When drinking alcohol, you can restrict your calories and the amount you’re having by drinking a glass of water in between the alcoholic drinks; and if you can, always pour yourself or request a small glass of wine or a small bottle of beer.  That way if you do have more, you are having more without having quite as much as you would have done if every glass/bottle was large.
3. Have nibbles, but take a small amount in the palm of your hand and move away from the bowl of nuts, crisps, chocolates, etc.  Enjoy the sensation of feeling them in your hand and seeing them, this will appeal to your kinaesthetic (touchy, feely) and visual senses, which will help you feel more satisfied about having the nibbles.  Also, eat them slowly, one at a time, rather than a palm-full at a time.
4. At the Christmas lunch itself, do have a bit of everything you like; the key is only take a small amount of everything, and if you do want seconds, again have a small amount of only those things you really and truly want, rather than everything!  Remember the good old tips around eating well, eating consciously: eat slowly, really chew and taste your food, put your cutlery down between each mouthful so you’re taking more time to work through your food; it’ll last longer on your plate, you’ll feel more satisfied and you’ll enjoy it more.
5. Christmas pudding: have it, and again, have a smaller portion than usual.  And if you want a second helping, have some and again, simply keep your portion small, and eat consciously – instead of scoffing it down, savour every mouthful, put your spoon down in between each mouthful and eat slowly.
6. And finally, coffee and chocolate after dinner – have some chocolate if there’s room in your tummy and that’s what you really want.  Just have one small bit, so that you get to enjoy the flavour and the taste without over-loading yourself.

If you follow these 6 simple tips for how to manage Christmas lunch, you are highly likely to eat a lot less than you usually would have done and if you can eat 50% less than you’ve done in the past then well done you!!

In this way you still get to enjoy all the foods you love and want to eat, and still feel good about yourself, and less heavy, less tired and less full than you would’ve done if you’d eaten the “old” way. I know this works for many of my clients, I hope it works for you.

Do share with us below your thoughts, ideas, any other tips and suggestions on how to manage Christmas lunch and what works best for you. Wishing you all a wonderful time over the holidays and a Happy New Year for 2012!!

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Posted in Choices, Life Coaching, Motivational, Well Being on December 12, 2011