New Ways to Approach Cravings This Holiday Season

Food is arguably the best part of the holidays. All the amazing desserts, the honey-roasted ham, the mashed potatoes—whatever your foody favorite is, the holidays are sure to bring some delicious meals to the dining room table.

If you're trying to curb your cravings, the holiday get-togethers, family parties and ubiquitous sugary treats can really make it difficult.

Here are some strategies, tricks and tips to approach your holiday cravings so that you don't have to miss out on all of the deliciousness.

1. Hydrate

Thirst can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from hunger. If you find yourself craving a certain food, drink a large glass of water. If you were just thirsty, your craving will likely go away after a few minutes. Heading to a holiday party? Experts suggest taking your favorite reusable water bottle. It'll remind you to drink water.

2. Pay Attention to Craving Cues

What are "craving cues," you ask? Psychology Today describes these as habits we get develop from behavioral loops. So, if you notice you eat sweets more after a certain task or during a certain emotional state, like after you exercise or when you're stressed, your brain and body have likely learned that habit over time.

With more sweets and treats around during the holidays, there are more opportunities to fall into these habits or loops. If you're aware of these loops and sense yourself falling into them, try to reward or comfort yourself with a healthy treat instead, like a piece of fruit.

3. Meal Prep

During the holiday season, many of us are bouncing between work, shopping, cooking, parties, traveling and the thousand other things that seem to come up at the end of the year. To keep you from overindulging when you feel hungry, try to plan and prepare your meals and snacks when you can. This will save you from a growling belly and let you control your cravings.

4. Distract Your Cravings

While we can't offer an elaborate scheme to distract you from all the yummy holiday dishes, trying to focus on something else other than food or eating when your cravings appear may help them pass. Similar to drinking a glass of water, try going for a walk, calling a loved one or reading a book for 20 minutes to see if your craving goes away. If you're at a party, use cravings as motivation to mingle—just make sure you strike up a conversation away from the food table.

5. Just Eat It

Managing your cravings doesn't mean you can't indulge in them, just don't overindulge. If you're craving that slice of pie or your favorite homemade cupcake, then have it, really savor it and move on.

Avoiding or stressing about a craving can make you focus too much on it. If you practice the tips above and you are still experiencing your craving, go ahead and satisfy it, just practice portion control. You can do this through mindful eating, which means slowing down, really focusing on chewing and taking your time between each bite.

To recap, holiday cravings aren't feelings you should deny or wholly turn your back on. However, what is helpful is to question your cravings, to understand them, to learn where they come from and to not overindulge.

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