I know it can be difficult to maintain clean eating during the holidays, especially with no upcoming bodybuilding shows to prep for.  I am a big believer in truly enjoying the holidays guilt-free, which means having a couple of pieces of fudge if you are so inclined, or having champagne to ring in the new year.  However, if the rest of your meals are kept clean, you should be able to survive this time of year without experiencing a catastrophic spread of the waistline.

One trick which helps is to consume a small amount of lean protein when you have a carb cheat, and eat it before the cheat.  This will slow down digestion so that the carbs aren’t stored as readily.  Another trick is to drink a glass of water before you indulge in a decadent treat.  This will help to fill you up so you consume less food afterward.  When you are aware that you will be at a function in which tempting foods will be around, make sure your meals beforehand are kept clean and that you you eat every 2-1/2 to 3 hours to ensure that you won’t be ravenous come party time.  One of the worst things you can do is skip meals beforehand in hopes that the caloric deficit will balance out the overindulgence later.  All this does is squash your metabolism and increase your chance of overeating.

On the other side of the coin I have seen competitors rein it in so tightly that they make themselves miserable by avoiding holiday treats of any kind.  This can be psychologically very dangerous because they manage to punish themselves, thus solidifying an emotional relationship with food.  I have actually seen people cry after eating something because they felt so guilty about ingesting it.  This is fodder for eating disorders.  The holidays come but once a year, so it is far better to enjoy a few little holiday treats and balance it out with healthy eating.  Happy Holidays and Happy Eating!