Thanksgiving, a holiday centered around family and food, is fast approaching. The holidays are a time to celebrate and enjoy; however, they are often associated with stress. In particular if your goal is to lose weight the holidays can seem like a daunting time- many holiday parties, family gatherings and celebrations are centered around food. Here are 5 tips to help you stay on track this holiday season and continue on your path to wellness.

• Don’t let yourself get too hungry before a holiday party or big dinner- eat normal portioned meals consisting of protein, fruits, vegetables and complex starches leading up to a party or dinner. Skipping meals to save calories for holiday indulgences often leads to binge eating and makes it a lot harder to make smart choices.
• Do eat your favorite foods. Love pumpkin pie? Allow yourself a slice. Labeling foods as “forbidden” makes the food all the more tempting. Instead of avoiding desserts or a certain food all together, allow yourself a small portion of your favorite foods to satisfy the cravings, but not over do it!
• Don’t drink your calories. Alcohol and calorie containing beverages can add up to equal over a days’ worth of calories if we’re not careful. Opt for water or unsweetened tea to save yourself 500+ calories that can go towards nutritious, filling foods!
• Do cut yourself some slack. During the holidays we tend to stress about weight gain, often the more we stress about it the harder it is to control. If you slip up and eat too much or indulge in too many desserts don’t be too hard on yourself, just focus on getting back on track the next day.
• Don’t forget about portion size. Our plates, second helpings and serving spoons tend to increase in size during the holiday season. Don’t forget about proper portioning at meal times, ensuring your portions are appropriate is one of the best ways to make sure your plate is balanced and your calories are controlled.