Tips to avoid silly season over-indulgence

1:00 PM Monday Dec 10, 2012

With the silly season off and running, there's also the issue of all the goodies that come with it tempting us to overindulge.

But with a little planning, the food conflicts that can drain the joy from the holidays can be a thing of the past. We can use a wealth of solid research about why it's so much better to control portions instead of falling for the same old failing dieting tactics.

There are researchers who devote their careers to studying what makes us eat more and what helps us push away from the buffet.

Food-psychology laboratories produce information of particular interest to the food industry, which wants us to eat their products in abundance. But there's no reason we can't use this information to gain insight into how we tend to respond to different eating situations so we can better manage portions - and weight.

So here's what the experts say

* Out of sight, out of mind: The more visible food is (like the lolly dish on the coffee table or your co-worker's desk), the more likely we are to eat it. No problem if it's food you don't like, but if you love chocolate and have to stare at a bowl full of holiday M&M's, you'll probably surrender. The trick here is to make tempting goodies less visible. Using covered, opaque dishes for lollies, and open dishes to display fresh fruit, will encourage the healthier choice. Also, try keeping nutritious foods in front of the fridge or cupboard while putting the ones you want to control in the back.

* Size matters: The bigger the package, container or plate you're eating from, the more you're likely to eat. The brain seems to be looking for signals to mark the end of eating. Something about seeing an empty plate, bowl or bag helps us feel satisfied whether the container is large or small. That's why using smaller plates is so effective. So, when going to that big holiday buffet, put your entrée on the salad plate.

* Serve and step away: During party situations, whenever possible, serve yourself reasonable portions and then step far away from the rest of the food. The less you look at food, the more likely you will be to feel satisfied with what you served yourself. Case in point: Me. Engrossed in conversation with a chocolatier at a party, I didn't step away from the serving trays filled with exquisite chocolates. Result: I ate more than I would have if I had invited my conversation partner to have a seat in another room.

* Slow down: It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive all the physiological signals that you've eaten enough. So the faster you eat, the more you'll eat. What's the hurry anyway? There are few things we will do as often in our lives as eat, so let's sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy. The more you let your body get the full enjoyment out of what you're eating, the sooner it will say: "Okay, that was good, but I'm done."

Lavinia Rodriguez is an American psychologist and expert in weight management.

Do you tend to over-indulge during the silly season? What tips do you have for resisting temptation? Or do you see this as a time to let yourself go?

- AAP