Christmas Eve marks the start of a marathon of festive eating for many. Most people take it for granted that Christmas pounds are simply a given and that they will put on a few kilos over the holidays. But that doesn't have to be the case!

Here are a few tips that you can try out the next time you're invited out (these tips work all year round, by the way):

Avoid Christmas pounds: Before the feast

1) Get enough sleep

If you have an evening invitation or a festive meal planned for the next day, do yourself a favor and get enough sleep the night before. When we don't get enough sleep, the area of the brain responsible for controlling our appetite is activated, making us want to eat more. Healthy sleep is therefore not only good for you, but also influences your appetite.

In addition, our leptin levels (the hormone responsible for satiety) fall and our ghrelin levels rise (the hormone that stimulates appetite). To make matters worse, most people crave fast carbohydrates more when their energy stores are low. This then leads to raiding the bread basket before the meal even really gets going.

Come to the feast well rested and you will automatically have more willpower!

2) Eat sensibly throughout the day

I know that when we are invited out in the evening, we are often tempted to eat very little throughout the day in order to compensate for the higher calorie intake in the evening. After all, we want to be hungry at the feast! But this strategy usually backfires when it comes to storing calories. When we are hungry, we usually grab the first thing that looks good. We can easily eat a whole meal's worth of calories in appetizers and snacks alone!

By starting with a good breakfast in the morning and having a balanced lunch snack before you go to dinner, you'll be much better able to make smart food choices.

3) Wear clothes you look good in

If you feel good and attractive, you will make healthier choices. Wear an outfit that you have always been complimented on. If it also accentuates your figure, all the better! Who wants to eat a second cookie when someone has just complimented you on how good you look?

Loose clothing basically gives you permission to eat whatever you want. That shouldn't be our primary goal ;-)

4) Bring a dish you can share with everyone

If you eat differently than most other guests, whether by necessity (allergies, health issues) or preference, plan ahead. For example, if you eat gluten-free, call the hostess in advance and ask if you can bring your own dish. The hostess will be happy that she has more food to offer and the guests will be happy that they can try something else (perhaps something unusual).

And the best thing is: you can enjoy the nice company and don't have to focus on the food because there is nothing you want or are allowed to eat.

Avoiding Christmas pounds: during the dinner party

1) Hold back on the alcohol

For most people, alcohol is part of the festive meal. For example, a Martini or Prosecco as an aperitif, white wine and red wine with the meal, a Bailey's or grappa after dessert. If you eat more than is actually good for you, then alcohol is definitely a foolproof strategy. Alcohol relaxes us, suppresses our control mechanism and makes us less conscious of what we eat.

You could also simply choose a glass of sparkling mineral water with lemon before the meal and only drink a glass of wine during the meal.

2) Eat some protein first

Do you know why most restaurants offer white bread before they bring you your food? Because it stimulates the appetite! If you start your meal with fast carbohydrates, you will eat more throughout the meal. If you start with protein (such as meat, fish, pulses, dairy products) and vegetables, your sugar levels will stay low and you will feel full faster.

Try to divide your plate so that half of it is vegetables, a quarter is protein and a quarter is a side dish.

3) Shift your focus away from food

Because we spend so much time and effort preparing our favorite holiday foods, we sometimes forget that it's not just about the food! Remind yourself that the priority of getting together is actually to spend time with friends and family, catching up and building relationships. If you are surrounded by people who bring you more stress than joy (which can sometimes happen), don't be tempted to escape to the buffet or raid the cheese plate. When we feel nervous or uncomfortable, we often turn to food to make it more bearable.

Instead of eating more even though you're full, get up from the table and go outside for a moment, or start a new topic of conversation to distract yourself.

4) Feast consciously

One of the reasons why festive meals are so tempting (apart from the fact that they taste really delicious) is that they bring back so many memories and emotions. The vanilla crescents that our grandma used to bake, the spaetzli that reminds us of our favorite uncle, or the ice cream cake that has always been there on Christmas Eve and makes us feel at home.

It's also absolutely okay to feast, as long as you do it consciously and in a smart way. Don't waste calories on things you can eat all year round and store-bought Christmas cookies shouldn't even be considered. If you know that desserts and sweets are an important part of your Christmas experience, try to balance it out a little by not filling your plate with starchy side dishes during the main course. Then, when dessert is served, take the time to enjoy it to the full, bite by bite.

Avoid Christmas pounds: When the feast is over...

1) Take control

If you were a host/hostess then offer the leftover food to take away. If you were a guest, don't take anything away that you will later regret eating.

2) Forget and forgive - the Christmas pounds will soon be gone again!

Maybe it didn't quite work out the way you imagined. imagined. But at the end of the day, it was just one meal. The important thing now is not to feel guilty afterwards, but simply to make better choices next time. When you get home, drink warm water with lemon or an herbal tea. Make a list of the things you are grateful for and stick to the good memories you will have of the previous evening. You'll be fine again tomorrow!

So there you have it, my tips for losing Christmas pounds. But don't worry, I'm not a moralizer! If you eat more or less healthily all year round, your metabolism will definitely tolerate the odd exception. The ultimate goal is simply that you feel good and are physically well over the holidays. In any case, I wish you a Merry Christmas full of joy and indulgence!