You’re more likely to overeat during the holidays due to delayed satiety signals, rich, highly palatable foods that ignore your body’s appetite signals, and distractions. By slowing down and choosing foods mindfully, you can enjoy the festivities without overdoing it.It’s a common story: you fill your plate with all the holiday favorites, take a few enthusiastic bites too many… and suddenly you’re uncomfortably full.You’re not alone, and it’s not all about willpower. There’s a real physiology behind why so many of us overeat this time of year.According to Lona Sandon, PhDassociate professor in the Department of Clinical Nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center School of Health Professions, the way your gut and brain communicate plays a key role in how much you eat.Understanding that connection—and arming yourself with the right tools—can help you enjoy your favorite foods without feeling overstuffed.
Why We Overeat at Holiday Meals
Your stomach and brain are in constant conversation through a system called the gut-brain axis, explains Dr. Sandon out. As you eat, your stomach stretches and sends signals to the brain to tell you that you are getting full. At the same time, hormones such as insulin and leptin help reduce your appetite.But this process takes time – often 15 to 20 minutes. This means that if you eat too quickly, these signals may not reach your brain until you have been back for a few seconds.“If we don’t pay attention to this feeling, we can easily overeat,” adds Dr. to Sandon.Holiday foods make it even harder to notice these signals. Many traditional dishes are packed with fat, sugar and salt, a combination that “both the tongue and the brain find pleasurable,” says Dr. Sandon. As a result, your natural appetite signals may not work as well as normal.
Even more reasons why the holidays make it easier to overeat
In addition to the biology of the gut-brain axis and the highly palatable nature of traditional dishes, the holiday environment itself encourages overeating. That’s because:
- Buffets and large spreads create visual cues to pile more on your plate.
- Social circumstances cause us to be distracted and to eat faster than the point at which we are full.
- Nostalgic or festive foods can trigger emotional eating.
- A greater variety of flavors increases sensory stimulation and appetite.
“The greater the variety of foods and flavors we have on our plates, the more likely we are to eat more than we need,” says Dr. Sandon.This phenomenon is known as the ‘variety effect’ and is caused by something called sensory-specific satiety. When you eat a certain food, such as a salty entrée, your pleasure in that taste may begin to fade. But your hunger for a different taste – such as a sweet cookie – may remain great.That’s why switching between rich, different flavors resets your sense of satisfaction and keeps you eating longer than you normally would.Holiday meals are a perfect setup for this. If your plate includes turkey, several specialty side dishes, and multiple desserts, each new flavor will keep your appetite going, even if your body doesn’t actually need more food.When you combine that with the natural delay of satiety signals, it’s easy to eat more than you intended before your brain catches up.
How to Reduce Overeating (Without Skipping Your Favorite Foods)
Dr. Sandon recommends a few practical tips to keep track of the signals from your gut and brain while still enjoying the foods you love most:
Limit drinks before dinner
Research shows that alcohol stimulates appetite and dulls the body’s satiety signals. That’s why Dr. Sandon suggests saving drinks for meals and sticking to no more than:
- One per day for women
- Two for men
First, assess all your options
“Before you start the holiday buffet, take the time to scan everything,” she says. Look for the foods you absolutely love, rather than grabbing a bit of everything.
Fill half your plate with products
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables not only add volume, but also slow stomach emptying, helping you feel full faster and stay satisfied longer.If you fill half your plate with it, you’re less likely to overeat once you get to the heavier dishes.
Start with small portions
Choose your favorites and have a modest portion. “I’m always a fan of using smaller cocktail plates and cups to manage portions,” says Dr. Sandon. “They limit you without you having to think about it.”
Eat slowly
Enjoy the flavors and textures and chew slowly. Try putting down your fork or spoon between bites to further slow your pace.
Choose a small amount of dessert that you really want
Save room for the seasonal treats you’re most looking forward to and skip the treats you don’t really enjoy. And keep your portions minimal.“In general, you don’t need to eat a lot to satisfy cravings,” says Dr. Sandon. “Half a piece of cake can be just enough.”You can even share your piece of cake with someone else. After all, ’tis the season of giving.
If you eat too much, here’s how to feel better quickly
Even if you go in with the best intentions, overeating can happen, especially during the holidays. If you leave the table too full, here are a few tips to ease the discomfort:
- Take a walk to support digestion.
- Drink plain, filtered water to help your body process the heavy meal.
- Don’t lie down right away, as this can cause heartburn and sluggish digestion.
- Stick to lighter foods for the rest of the day to give your digestive system a break.
These little habits can help you bounce back faster and avoid that sluggish, overcrowded feeling.
Final thoughts
Eating too much during the holidays has nothing to do with a lack of discipline; it’s the result of how your body works, how your brain responds to food, and the general, joyful chaos of the season. By slowing down, choosing foods mindfully, and paying close attention to your body’s satiety signals, you can enjoy holiday meals without feeling uncomfortable afterwards.Here’s to a season that satisfies your desires – for indulgence and connection – without regrets.
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