Trick Yourself with Small Plates. Believe it or not, the size of your plate determines how much you serve yourself and ultimately how much you eat. The same serving of cookies looks like a lot on a small plate, but looks deceivingly skimpy on a larger one. Dr. Brain Wansink, author of Mindless Eating, has found larger plates lead people to overeat an average of 20-30% more than they normally would.
Work for Your Food. The more hassle it is to eat a food, the less you are going to eat. Station yourself away from the hors d’oeuvres table or choose foods that take more effort to eat (like nuts in the shell that you crack one-by-one, or vegetables that you have to chew – carrots, celery, etc).
Keep Moving. I know it sounds passe, but exercise really does help keep the pounds away. Keep your regularly scheduled Pilates sessions, walks, or fitness classes during the holidays. If anything, think of this – exercise speeds up your metabolism, allowing you a little more wiggle room to indulge.
