12/30/2025
Why it’s so easy to overeat the during holidays
(how to fix it in the new year)
The holiday’s are a perfect storm for extra calorie consumption. Let’s look at what makes it so easy to over eat.
Grazing – Food out nearly all day, dishes of candy etc. 3 m&m’s at a time. Small bites are easy to rationalize and you can’t tell how much you’ve really done. I saw the dessert spread at our family dinner and I was so full, but a chocolate covered cherry seemed possible. Which can slowly become 30!
Many options – Even meal time has more choices than the average dinner. More choices makes you want to try everything especially if you feel you need to try the dish each person brought.
Large quantities – when people take from a smaller amount they usually take a smaller amount when there is a giant cheese cake and not that many people you feel like you need to “do your part” to make some more disappear. This is why once the plate gets to one cookie left that cookie can sit for a while. Saving it for someone else.
Less to do (or more to do near food) – There is either less to do. If you are not hosting you are spending a strange amount of day just sitting around. If you meet someone for drinks you’ll likely have several. If you were outside smoking with someone you’d be more likely to light another cigarette. And if you are sitting next to food while chatting you’ll grab another and another. Or if you are hosting you are prepping the food and might find it convenient to sample and quality check it.
How to fix this from the new year:
• No food laying around – out of sight
• Cleans the house of treats – ideally not by eating them all, no treats in the house
• Get your projects going – decrease sitting idle time
• Consider a food timeout between meals/snacks – 3 hours before you are allowed to eat again
• Decrease Toxic Hunger – Protein and Vegetables – fill the body with nutrients
• Hydration – strange how often we have a strange feeling that we think is hunger but it’s thirst
• Remember survival rule of 3 – 3 min without air (life threatening), 3 hours without shelter (in cold), 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. If our bodies can make it 3-weeks without food perhaps we can make it until the next meal without grazing. **not advice for those with already disordered eating like anorexia.
• Have a Plan – If you have pre-planned your day you just eat the amount you planned at the time you planned it and you get to stop thinking about food so much. Get back to working on something!
If you want some planning help try this resource to help you get started and of course you can always call us (585)260-4235 or email back.
PLANNING RESOURCE - https://www.talltrainer.com/meal-planning
(new programs start January 5th if you want a spot contact today!)
(PICTURE: that is a picture of my Grandma's house who is about to become a Great, Great, Great Grandma. So special to still have her active at 92! And yes I did eat some treats...us trainers do it too)
