Parties are where families or friends gather after a long time, which is fun and exciting. But these good feelings could make you out of control of what to eat, which results in overdoing it.
If you want to avoid that, here is how to not overeat at a party.
Before A Party
Have A Light Snack Before You Go
One of the most common reasons making you lose control of yourself and end up overeating at a party is the hungry feeling plus tasteful dishes.
If you really want to avoid that, have a light snack at home before you go. For example:
- Hummus cups with tomato/zucchini
- Chocolate covered with peanut butter pretzels
- Cranberries and pecan snack mix
- No-bake peanut butter snack bars
- Extreme meat pizza dip
- …
Choose any light snack that has high levels of protein and fiber.
Make A Plan Ahead
Sounds a bit serious, huh?
But according to Ruth Frechman – a nutrition and dietetics specialist from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, going in with a plan really helps you control yourself better at a party.
You should understand yourself: what are your triggers? Alcohol? Fried-dry foods? Dead foods? Or, sweets?
If you are not on a diet, just feel free to enjoy these dishes, but only in a small portion. Or, only choose the most favorite dish and avoid other ones.
On a strict diet? Fill your stomach before going to a party.
During A Party
Avoid Nibbling During A Party
According to Mrs. Marjorie Nolan Cohn - Nutrition and dietetics specialist of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, even little nibbles can really add up to the total food intake.
Avoid grazing and stay away from the serving table as far as you can after you already get your food.
Going to another room is a good trick to keep appealing finger foods away from your sight.
Hold Your Glass In The Hand
Use the hand that you usually eat with to hold your glass – which significantly prevents you from accessing finger foods.
Eat Slowly
While eating slowly helps a lot in improving your digestion system and absorbing nutrients, it keeps you calmer and more controllable in front of favorite foods.
According to a reliable study of Kyushu University in Japan, eating slowly makes you feel full more quickly. The study also proved that slow eaters commonly have lower body mass index and smaller waist circumference than the rest.
Drink A Lot Of Water
Another effective trick to avoid overeating at a party is to try to drink water frequently, especially before the meal is served.
Plank water, fruit juices, or herbal tea – whichever of them that you feel like being able to drink the most.
Meanwhile, stay away from soft drinks, sugary drinks, and alcohol because they are not good for your health, especially when drinking them with an empty stomach.
Be Picky While Eating
This trick might be a bit trickery for you because junk foods or high-fat foods are always more appealing than those nutrient-dense ones.
If you are on a strict diet and can control yourself well, ignore them and only choose healthy, low-carb foods like whole grain bread, lean meats, vegetables, and fruits.
If it’s too hard for you to control yourself, try walking around and chatting with friends, go to the bathroom, or visit the garden.
Find any reason that can help you leave the dining table for a while and go back when that dish is out.
For those who aren’t on a diet but just want to avoid overeating at a party, keep portions of high-calorie dishes like cheese, macaroni, and smashed potato as small as you can.
Choose a smaller plate for yourself and try to fill at least half of it with good food.
Be Mindful Of The Portion
Aside from choosing only the foods that you want to eat or should eat (if you’re on a strict diet), remember to keep the portions small.
After A Party
Take A Walk After The Meal
After a meal, try to take a walk as much as you can. Even just walking around, greeting, and chatting with friends can help a lot to your digestion system.
If the party is held in a garden or backyard, take a visit around the landscaping. Most parties have physical games for guests to kill time, try them.
Double Up Your Exercises On The Next Day
Sometimes, enjoying the party and overeating is still okay. But remember to double up the exercises on the next day – which helps your body avoid storing excess fat.
Conclusion
All the advice here was given by many renowned nutrition and dietetics specialists that I interviewed, so it is very trustworthy and does work. If you have any tips and tricks on how to not overeat at a party, please share them with me and other readers.
Thanks for reading!
