Mugello: “The best way to fill yourself up is to start meals by eating proteins”: pharmacist explains why

Marta Masi explains how to avoid Christmas binges with practical strategies and advice on meals, sweets and exercise.

Giving in to temptation is all too easy when the holiday table is filled with desserts, appetizers, toasts and endless portions. Yet, every year the same script repeats itself: we arrive in January with two or three kilos moreguilt and the classic promise of “diet from Monday”. According to the pharmacist Marta Masiavoid excesses it’s not impossibleyou just need to know some psychological mechanisms, anticipate hunger with intelligent choices and get used to think more consciously about food. The starting point? Never arrive hungry at meals e stop skipping meals to “compensate”.

The check starts before sitting down at the table: managing hunger, avoiding fasting and choosing with your head

Skipping breakfast or lunch to “make room” for Christmas dinner is a frequent mistakebut counterproductive. The body arrives exhausted at the large meal, with hunger at the highest levels, and this triggers impulsive, almost automatic behavior, which leads to eating much more than necessary. “The first step to avoiding binge eating is to break the initial impulse”explains Masi. “And it is done by avoiding arriving hungry, maintaining regular hours and consuming balanced meals even before a special occasion.”

The too strict restrictions they generate the opposite effect: the more you forbid something, the more you want it. “It’s better to think about how we want to feel after the meal or say to ourselves: I choose what I really like, but with awareness,” continues the expert. Practical advice? Eat a piece of fruit before your main mealcome pineapples or papayawhich satiate and stimulate digestion.

Even one natural yogurta herbal tea o a glass of water they help reduce food anxiety. During the day, it is useful prefer dishes with vegetables and antioxidant foodsso as not to load all the caloric intake only in the central moment of lunch or dinner.

When sitting at the table, a useful rule is start your meal with lean protein: eggs, fish, shellfish or turkey. These foods they activate the feeling of satiety before carbohydrates and reduce glycemic peaks that lead to seeking other sugars. Even the verdureif consumed first, help moderate hunger and to improve the digestion of subsequent dishes. The control starts from the first bite.

Alcohol, sweets and exercise: the real enemies are not food, but the lack of balance

During the holidays, the danger is not only in food: alcohol is an “invisible enemy”as Marta Masi defines it. It contains no vitamins or nutrients, but provides many empty calories and interferes with satiety signals. In other words, when you drink you lose control and we tend to eat a lot more. The same goes for sugary or carbonated drinks: In addition to calories, they can cause bloating and a feeling of sickness that ruins your entire evening.

As for dessert, no need to give up. The best approach is choose just one small portion of what you really wantavoiding “doing an encore” just because the dish is there. Better to avoid that the tray of nougat or biscuits remains on the table for a long timebecause that’s where the “tastings” without hunger begin. If possible, fresh fruit the Macedonia they represent the lightest option. Even i homemade and sugar-free desserts they are preferable to industrial ones.

After a day of excesses, the rule is to return to normal immediately. No punishments, fasting or feelings of guilt: “Every meal is an opportunity to take care of ourselves”, recalls Masi. Enough vegetables, light proteins and fruittogether with good hydrationto regain control. And the movement remains a powerful ally: 30 minutes a day is enough walking or any activity you like, even spread over the days before or after important meals.

The body thanksnot only in terms of weight, but also for the effect on mood, hunger and sleep quality. And above all, it teaches us that You don’t need extreme sacrifices to feel good, but awareness and small adjustments at key moments.