5 proven ways to stop overeating during the holidays

Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays are filled with invitations for get-togethers and parties with relatives, friends, and coworkers. Here are a few tips to help you avoid eating everything within range.

1. Eat normally

According to About Health, most people prepare for a big party by depriving themselves of food for hours or eating less food for several days. The logic is that the calories that they save by going on a diet can be transferred on a later date, allowing the person to eat more during the party.

However, feeling famished prior to the event leads to making irrational decisions, encouraging you to eat more than you should.

Momtastic says starving yourself also makes you crave more.

Instead of starving yourself, eat normally leading to the get-together. This way, you have more focus and eat in moderation.

2. Browse before picking food

If you get tempted by food easily, one trick to avoid getting too much food is to go through the buffet once and see what is on the table. This way, you have an idea on what you want to sample and portion accordingly.

Do the same process for getting desserts.

3. Stay away from the buffet table

Fitnea says lounging around the food table simply sampling food prevents you from knowing how much you have already consumed.

Put everything that you want to eat on your plate. That way, you can plan how much of each food you can have.

4. Mind your portions

You don't have to eat tiny portions. What the Huffington Post suggests is having larger portions of healthy food and just bite-size portions of snacks or treats high in calories.

Fill up your plate with fruits and vegetables that are high in fiber and nutrients while being low in calories. These will keep you full longer.

Eating from a red plate also works for some people. A study on Appetite says that the color red may equate to seeing the stop light, possibly discouraging people from eating mindlessly.

When it comes to glasses, Fitnea recommends slender glasses rather than stout ones. You will consume fewer liquids when they're in a slimmer glass.

5. Pace yourself

Eat slowly and enjoy each bite. About Health recommends listening to your body and stopping before you become too full.

Put the fork down occasionally and socialize or drink water. Use the time to tell stories and catch up on what everybody else is up to.