December is arguably the busiest time of the year, often filled with social events involving a lot of food. It can be hard to stick to a diet plan with so many temptations.
But one thing you certainly shouldn't do is undereat ahead of a festive feast, according to Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian.
Sharp, who lives in Toronto, has recently shared a TikTok video explaining why you shouldn't eat less before any events involving food.
She told Newsweek: "When we let ourselves get ravenous by undereating all day, we set ourselves up for a binge. Our hunger hormones go into overdrive, and we really can't help but eat way past the point of comfortable fullness."
She continued: "Not only does this have an unpleasant effect on digestion—heartburn, bloating, gas, GI disturbances—but it causes a massive blood sugar rush and crash. Both of these things can negatively affect sleep."
The video, which is captioned "The BIGGEST MISTAKE I see people make before going to a big holiday feast dinner is undereating during the day," has racked up over 33,000 views.
Sharp, the founder of Abbey's Kitchen Inc., showed her 742,700 followers what she eats in a day during the lead-up to a big holiday meal.
In the morning, she has a protein smoothie and a piece of toast with peanut butter and fruit. This is followed by a chicken sandwich with vegetables and hummus on the side for her midday meal. An hour before the dinner party, she has a bowl of cottage cheese and fruit.
She said: "For lunch, I don't purposely try to eat super light or cut calories because this will basically always backfire."
Sharp concludes the video by saying why it's important for her to eat as normally as possible during the day.
She said: "A: I'm not the best house guest when I'm hungry. And B: This way, I can make more mindful balanced decisions based around my usual body cues."
So far, the video, shared on Sunday, has received over 3,700 likes and comments from people sharing their experiences.
"I now eat normally and I've noticed the 'special' foods are 'meh' with a full belly. I realized I don't actually like much of it," said one user.
Another said: "[I] was going to a cookie decorating party so I ate a bowl of pesto pasta before going and only ate one cookie! Usually I'd have 3 and then a bellyache."
Abbey Sharp's Top 3 Tips to Prevent Overeating
Never Deny Yourself Your Favorite Foods
Deprivation sets us up for overeating by triggering a "last supper"–style binge where you feel like you need to cram all of your forbidden foods into one event (or a whole holiday season).
Don't Forget About Fiber, Protein and Healthy Fats
To help you feel your best and prevent overindulging, it's important to add a variety of fiber, protein and healthy fats to your diet during the holidays. This stabilizes blood sugars, improves digestion and helps you edge out some of the less nutritious foods naturally without feeling deprived (which just triggers a binge).
Never Show Up to a Holiday Event Ravenous
If you're hosting, make sure there's some lighter fare like fruit and Greek yogurt. If not, offer to bring a fruit or vegetable platter. Trust me, everyone will appreciate something light and refreshing.
Have you had a Christmas dilemma? Let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice on relationships, family, friends, money and work, and your story could be featured in Newsweek's "What Should I Do? section.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Lucy Notarantonio is Newsweek's Senior Lifestyle and Trends Reporter, based in Birmingham, UK. Her focus is trending stories and human ... Read more
