'Tis the season to be satisfied...

This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.

It's that time of year - one where we might have already overindulged over Thanksgiving...and now the winter holidays are upon us.

For my family, we're visiting my mom for Christmas this year - and that means that we have the opportunity to have food that we normally don't get.  My mom's chile con queso, lemon icebox pie, awesome cookies, and fantastic Mexican food.  It's a cornucopia of coronary clogging culinary treats. (Mmmmm...butter!)

There's a bit of a conflict though.  With my younger sister's wedding looming in the spring, we all want to be at a healthier weight, too.  AND I've started to realize that when I eat badly, I feel badly.  Who wants to spend their holidays like that?  Not me.

But who wants to pass on every treat or food I've missed since over a year ago?  Also, not me.

That prompts BlogHer and Laughing Cow's monthly question: How do you try to eat healthy and manage your portions during the holiday season with everyone showering unhealthy food choices on you?

If you're like me, you're looking for a great tip and answer to the above question...

Here's my take:  Indulge.  Do it.  This time comes but once a year.  But don't be silly.

1) Don't indulge in things that you can get at any time.  In other words, pass on the Dunkin' Donuts that you can get any day.  Pass on the red and green M&Ms (since you can get regular M&Ms any day of the week).  Pass on fast food and poor unhealthy food choices that you battle each day.  Instead, focus on the things that you can't get regularly.  For me, that means the Little Diner in Canutillo, Texas, the chile con queso, and homemade lemon icebox pie.

2) Think about what you're REALLY hungry for.  If you really want the extra special cookies your grandma makes for you, eat them.  But if you're not hungry for them right then, pass them up until they make their next round.  Or take a few to take home and save for later.  But it's silly to eat something that you're not hungry for.

3) Eat when you're hungry and stop when you're satisfied.  This little tip isn't new to me, but I find that overindulging on the temptations isn't nearly as enjoyable as savoring every bite and then stopping when you're satisfied.

In my post about being home in the range, I wrote about how there is a range of satiety that I try to follow:
1 - starving hungry; the hungriest I've ever been
3 - hungry; when I drop to this level (or below) it's probably time to eat
5 - satisfied; neither hungry nor full
7 - feedback that indicates I ate a bit too much the last time I ate
10 - stuffed; as in what it feels like to finish a binge

So my advice is: try enjoying your favorite holiday treats, but doing so where you stay and maintain at a level 5, instead of being stuffed to the gills.  

Now it's your turn - share tip on how you manage healthy portions amid all the holiday traditions and treats and you could win a $150 Visa card!

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