There is nothing better than a great holiday party.  I absolutely love this time of year.  With Christmas and the close of another year  everyone wants to celebrate.  For many of us it also comes with shopping, more commitments than we can handle, stress and shorter sleeps.  All of a sudden we are no longer in the party mood.  To help combat the over indulgences of the holidays, I have come up with a few tips to help you feel better through out the season.

1.  Feed your body well!  Now is not the time to skip meals to save calories for later.  When you attend a function outside of the home, you will have less control of your choices, so make your choices at home count!   Eating clean and healthy throughout the day has you naturally gravitating to the healthier options later in the day.
2. Stay hydrated!  A well hydrated body requires approximately half of their body weight in ounces of water each day.  That is for a woman that weighs 120 lb, she should be drinking 60 ounces of water.   Don’t like water?  Add a little lemon or fruit slices or drink herbal teas.  Just make sure you are hydrating your body.  This will not only help with keeping you satiated but you will also feel better the next day!  Especially during a party where you might have a cocktail or two,  start with water and drink water or soda water between other beverages.
3. Be mindful of what you are eating!  Do not eat or drink just to eat or drink.  When you are mindful of what you choosing to eat,  you will eat more slowly and savor the flavors more.  You are more likely to decide after the first bite or two if it’s worth the calories.  When I go out I also like to decide what my poison that day will be.  If I am hankering for dessert, I go light on the main meal and drinks.   If I want to drink wine, I make sure I drink lots of water and choose a lighter meal.   The more you plan the better you will be in control!

At the end of the day remember this:  We get together to BE together!   Enjoying each others company by making that the main focus of the gathering will save us from unnecessary excess!   Wishing you a fun holiday season!