Boxes of brownies, biscuits, chocolates, cupcakes and other sweet treats might be filling up your fridge by now, as friends and colleagues send presents for you. It's hard to resist those sumptuous desserts at Christmas parties too, and you keep convincing yourself you deserve these treats this holiday, so you indulge.
It's easy to abandon proper diet and resolve to "eat better" only after New Year's. However, let's be honest: the sugar binging is already making you feel bloated and sluggish and it's really not because of the winter weather.
There's really no other time like "right now" to scale down on the sweets. Here's how you can resist sugar for the rest of the holidays:
1) Be Honest. If you can be upfront with your friends, then go ahead and tell them you'd rather not have sweets this Christmas for gifts. Say it's for health reasons - what could be more legit than that? They would probably appreciate it more when they know what they shouldn't be buying for you.
2) Take Control. Impose a limit on yourself. This will only work if you have the willpower. That cake with lovely chocolate trimmings might be tempting, but weigh your choice more than once before taking a bite.
3) Portion Control. However, don't deprive yourself. Choose only the treats you really, really want to have in the house and then give the rest away. You can repack them for the homeless or a local shelter so that others can enjoy the sweets. Or you can donate to charities like River Tree, Caring With Cookies or One25.
4) Mind The Drinks. Shun alcohol, which is actually packed with sugar. If you really need a buzz, limit your holiday drinking to champagne or dry white wines. They contain less sugar than other alcoholic drinks, according to Healthista.
5) Get Physical. Literally walk away from the sweet treats! Walking can boost your circulation and hormones, so that your body will not crave sugar, according to a study published on Plos One. Walk regularly so that you will have more will power to resist that dessert, especially since there are still more parties coming up next week.
