Have you noticed that all of our holiday celebrations seem to center around food?

For many of us, the glorious bounty of food that surrounds us at Christmas makes healthy choices more challenging.  With the abundance of cheese platters, party dips, turkey dinners, and decadent desserts; it seems pleasure and indulgence rule.  Many of us embrace the holiday feasting wholeheartedly and banish all thoughts of health until January 1st.  Others rage a battle of inner will to deprive themselves of the seasonal deliciousness to stay on the right track.  Both mentalities stem from the unfortunate idea that we must choose between pleasure and health.

Here’s the good news: there is a wealth of evidence that finding pleasure through food can help you find a healthy balance.  Here’s how you do it:

  1. Anticipate Enjoyment:  It turns out that simply imagining those sugar cookies before the party could help prevent you from becoming the Cookie Monster.  Several recent studies show that people choose smaller portions if they vividly imagined the taste, smell, and texture of an indulgent food (such as chocolate cake) before being offered some.  So before you go to a holiday party, try to picture all the yummy things you expect to find there.  Just imagine!  You may not need to eat as much to feel content, and you won’t feel yucky afterwards.
  2. Sloooowwww Down: To get the most pleasure out of eating, don’t just shovel it in!  Before you dive into a goody, take in the food with your eyes! Appreciate the colors, textures, and presentation.  Inhale to enjoy its appealing aroma.  When you take a bite, chew thoroughly, allowing the flavors to unfold.   Approaching food this way heightens the pleasure you get from food and helps you pace yourself.  Studies show that when people eat more slowly, they tend to eat fewer calories and feel equally satisfied.
  3. Go for Quality, not Quantity:  A key thing for food lovers to remember is that the pleasure we get from a particular food does NOT increase with bigger portions.  Dietitians call this “sensory-specific satiety,” where after eating something for a while, our enjoyment in it diminishes.  To get the maximum pleasure per bite, go for small portions of the best stuff.  May your cravings rest in peace.

To reap the most joy from holiday food without going overboard, take a moment to anticipate and imagine eating your favorite treat.  Then serve yourself a small portion and savor every bite.  Finally, sit back, relax, and stay happy AND healthy!

Speaking of pleasurable holiday meals, Herbed Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Balsamic Sauce & Cheesy Baked Potato Salad is a “MUST-try” this season.  Enjoy!