Belly-Up to the Buffet

As you are all no doubt aware by now, the Holiday season is upon us and for a good portion of us, that means parties. Yup, 'tis the season to party and enjoy the warmth and com fort of family and friends. Yeah, I know, sounds corny, but I'm still recovering from last month. Anyway, although the party season is in full swing, there is no reason for those of us watching our weight to have to stay in the corner nursing our Diet Coke. Even though you may be on a DIE with a T, you can still enjoy the season and not feel guilty about it. You may be thinking that I have no idea what I'm talking about, but bear with me a few more paragraphs.

Now, we all know that the very essence of a diet is watching what we eat and exercising. So, between your active social engagements, you still need to find the time to exercise. However, when you are at the party and you see the buffet table calling your name, you don't need to run in fear; you can still enjoy the food, just take smaller portions. I know, it is not as easy as it sounds, but if you can discipline yourself to reduce your portion size, you can still enjoy the food. It does not have to be an all or nothing deal, there is a tasty middle-ground that you can visit.

When you see all that wonderful food calling your name, you may think that there are only two choices: you can either dive right in and feel guilty later or you can just grab your diet coke and drool over everyone else's plates; all the while feeling sorry for yourself. But now you know that there is a wonderful third option: that of moderation. You can still enjoy the buffet and have a good time, but you'll no longer have to feel guilty about it.

The short version: take smaller portions of you favorite foods. Yup, it's a no-brainer, but when you're in diet-mode, it's sometimes difficult to accept the fact that you don't need to be miserable all the time. There is no need to deny yourself your favorite things. There is no need to make yourself feel miserable watching others eat, while you stand in the corner and watch. As you have already discovered, going on a diet requires a great deal of self-control and willpower. It also requires that you moderate what you eat. So, what makes a party any different? Yes, there will be more food and there will be food there that you may only have a few times each year. So, do what you do every day: take smaller portions.

An invitation to a party does not have to strike fear in the heart of the dieter. Go and enjoy yourself, because at the end of the night, you will discover that you not only had a good, guilt-free time, but you have also proven to yourself how strong you really are.