Utilize the following tips to help you enjoy holiday food while still sticking with a healthy eating plan.

Eat Soup – We crave comfort food during winter. Hot, liquidy food takes longer to consume than other meals and snacks. It will make you feel fuller and satisfied.

Plan – Take a big meal and split it up into smaller portions so you can eat more frequently. This will help keep your urge to eat often and you will still be eating the same number of calories.

Eat More Veggies…. As snack – Fresh crisp salads sort losing their appeal when it is cold outside. Increasing your veggie intake does not have to mean eating a bowl of steamed broccoli for dinner. It is about cooking a variety of veggies in different ways and mixtures. You can even roast them; it adds flavor & their natural sugars are good for you.

Seek the Light – The lack of sunlight during the winter months can trigger the feel-good brain chemical which leads us to carbs binges as you give your brain that feel-good feeling. Get out especially when the sun is out to maximize your light exposure.

Spice it up. Warm spices like red pepper, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and clove, as well as garlic and ginger, can make your meals more satisfying and give your metabolism a boost—both of which help the winter flap.

Keep moving! Do not get too comfy, you may feel like curling up on the couch with all your favorite snacks., but you will actually feel much if you get out for 15 minutes or so on your bike. Exercise not only burns fat & calories, which obviously helps keep winter weight fat in check, but it is also a natural serotonin booster and mood lifter, so the urge to overeat won’t be as strong.