A few quick tips for boosting your willpower over the holidays--or at least for understanding why it's so easy to go overboard!
• Wonder why your
appetite seems to know no limits at a holiday meal? Food high in saturated fats–especially meats, cheeses, butter, and most desserts–trick the
brain into ignoring signs of physical fullness, so that you keep eating. They can also keep you going back for leftovers all weekend, as the effect lasts for up to three days! Indulge if you want (it is Thanksgiving) but make a conscious choice when the celebration is over, even if your amped-up appetite is trying to lure you to more stuffing. Set a specific time or meal when you will return to healthier habits, and get rid of the leftovers.
• We always want to be our best selves when getting together with the family, but trying to manage the impression you make on others depletes willpower for other kinds of self-control, such as saying no the second slice of pumpkin pie or keeping your cool during an argument. Don't worry so much about what to wear, bring, bake, or say, and save your strength for when you really need it. And if you find yourself overwhelmed by the family, excuse yourself for a breathing break. Research shows that just a couple of minutes of slow breathing (4-8 per minute) restores willpower.
• If the holidays leave you more lonely, exhausted, or stressed than celebratory, watch out for Black Friday backlash. Studies show that people look for opportunities to buy their way out of bad feelings. To top it off, retailers will be using every trick in the book--from deep discounts to time limits on the best bargains--to trigger the primitive part of your brain that seeks scarce resources. If you need to stay on a budget, look for other ways to cheer yourself up, and stay clear of the sales. But if you really need that shopping mood boost, go out with a preset amount of cash and leave your credit cards at home. Research shows that the real rush of shopping comes from just seeing the promise of discounts–not the actual purchasing.
And finally, this new study suggests that eating turkey (or tofurkey for the vegetarians!) can reduce impulse shopping on Black Friday. Hope for my sake pumpkin pie works too.
