3 Easy Tips for Navigating the Holiday Party Scene

Happy Day 1! Here's to having the courage to check in, reassess our diets and reclaim our healthy ways in the middle of the biggest eating season of 'em all! And because we're starting in the thick of the party season, it's a great time to revisit the topic of dealing with social situations while eating a non-traditional diet. Here are three simple things we can do to gracefully maneuver through the holiday party scene:

1. Be prepared - There's nothing worse than showing up at an event when you're starving. That's when temptation poses its biggest threat. If you can, try to eat something beforehand - a protein shake, a couple of slices of tofu, or a cup of carrots, cauliflower or broccoli  with a bit of hummus - that way, when you're faced with a dry salad, you won't feel deprived or hungry. And just to be safe, you might want to carry something in your purse or keep something in your office - an apple, a bag of carrots, some raw almonds - they'll help keep you feeling satisfied.

2. Find a new drink of choice. When the social calendar brims with one event after another and you find yourself indulging in a toast here and a glass of bubbly there, the good cheer can add up in the way of empty calories and mood-altering chemicals. So fill up a champagne flute with seltzer water and a lemon twist, or a martini glass with seltzer water and a couple of teaspoonsful of cranberry juice and toast to your own good health! And offer to be a designated driver!   

3. Get into the spirit of the season. Remember that the reason you're getting together with your friends, family or colleagues is to be together and celebrate the season. We've said it before at SkinnyPlus and it's worth saying again - it's not about the food; it's about the people. And because you’ll be alcohol-free and less focused on food you’ll be able to concentrate on your companions and really hear what they're saying. Who knows? You might just have a better time because of it. 

We're only in this mini cleanse for seven days; holiday favorites will still be around after we've finished our week. There will always be another cookie; there will always be another cocktail. We don't need to eat like every meal is our last, and we don't need "just one more" drink. Our bodies will thank us for reining in our diets - we'll feel great while everyone else is overeating and overloading, and we'll keep our calorie counts low and loaded with nutritional foods.

Here's to a great week of mindful eating and greeting - I'm glad we're in it together!