Stand Away from the Buffet

Okay, so we discussed scheduling the events that we are going to visit and we discussed how to navigate drinking at events but what about food?  Here’s the scenario; We arrive at a party and there is a MASSIVE buffet filled with the most delicious food!  We tried to plan ahead and not arrive super hungry but we were tied up at the office and had to rush out the door.  What do we do?

1. Start with food.  If you start with drinks, they will hit you HARD and you may not be able to make the best choices for food!
2. Remember that not all food was created equally.  If there is a veggie tray, some salads, roasted meat (if you eat meat) choose these whole foods FIRST!  I know that there are lots of appetizers that look so, well, appetizing but quite a few come out of a box!  They are packaged and preserved and full of empty calories.  Try to stick with the nutrient dense foods as they will satisfy you and it is hard to over eat veggies!!
3. Concentrate on conversation. Make the priority at these busy holiday parties catching up with friends and acquaintances that you haven’t seen in some time. Keep the focus on who you would love to know more about and less about the food and drink.  It’s hard to have a great conversation with someone, to both talk and listen, when you are stuffing your face with treats. 
4. Stand AWAY from the Buffet. In order to fulfill all the above ideas, I suggest finding a place to stand or sit AWAY (as far away as possible) from the buffet.  Get in, get your food, and get out.  There is less temptation if you stay away from the food. 
5. Pop a sugar free mint or piece of gum. This is maybe the simplest idea but it’s very effective.  I find it hard to enjoy the sugary treats or an extra meatball from the buffet with a mint flavor in my mouth.  The drinks don’t even taste the same! 

What do you do think of these party tricks?  Do you have any more that you could add to the list?  Leave a comment below for us to read and learn from!  Thank you for reading Day Six of the Holiday Health Challenge!  I hope you come back tomorrow for more holiday fun!!