Keep it Clean: 6 tips to avoid over eating

1. Plan ahead. Decide if this will be a treat day since it’s a special occasion and plan which treat you’re going to have depending on where you are relative to your goals. If you’re maintaining, you may decide to have a glass of wine plus a small dessert. If you’re trying to lose weight for that Christmas cruise you might want to keep this meal super Clean.

2. Don’t skip meals. Thanksgiving Day is no different than any other if you’re following The Eat-Clean Diet. Don’t overcompensate for Thanksgiving calories by skipping meals that day. If you’re starving by the time dinner is served, you’re more likely than ever to overeat.

3. Remember your portion sizes. A portion of lean protein is the size of the palm of your hand, a portion of starchy carbs fits into one cupped hand and a portion of high-water content carbs fits into two cupped hands. I serve myself slightly smaller portions for my first helping of food since I’m eating more foods than I normally would in a meal. If I’m truly hungry after that first plate, I go back for seconds, but often I find that I don’t need it.

4. Make healthier choices. Part of eating clean is learning how to make healthier choices. Pick white meat over dark, choose dishes that aren’t covered in rich sauces, fill your plate with vegetables and pass on the butter for your dinner roll. Don’t be afraid to offer to bring your own dishes to a host’s house to ensure you’ll have something you enjoy eating. If you do indulge in a dish that’s not Clean, try not to serve yourself too large a portion.

5. Eat slowly. It takes a whole day to prepare this delicious meal, don’t rush through it in ten minutes! Be mindful of how fast you are eating – enjoy each bite and chew properly. It takes twenty minutes for your stomach to register that it is full, so if you eat too quickly your body can’t tell you it’s had enough until it’s too late.

6. Limit your alcohol. Alcohol not only lowers your inhibitions, making you more likely to overindulge, it also provides you with a lot of unnecessary calories. Try the Clean Cocktails from my Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook as an alternative or do as I do and pamper yourself with a glass of water flavored with lemons and limes.