The holidays are here! It’s a wonderful time with family, friends, and food! Lots of it! It seems impossible to continue eating healthy with all of the enticing opportunities available. Everyone brings treats or drinks as a gift to celebrate the season. All of which should be enjoyed while paying attention to how much you are having.
We have compiled 10 Tips to Eating Healthy Through the Holidays. The keyword is EAT, you still get to eat and enjoy all of the holiday foods!
- The biggest mistake people make at the holidays is letting Thanksgiving become more than a one-day indulgence. Tip: Limit your splurges to one event per week. Give yourself permission to enjoy the indulgence and then remember to get back on track with your normal eating routine the very next day.
- When it comes to calorie intake, it’s best to eat low to high. Start with a broth-based soup or salad, then move on to lean protein, and by the time you reach the dessert, a few bites will be all you need to feel satisfied.
- Offer to bring the party punch, then swap out your traditional recipe with natural sweeteners or 100% fruit juice to eliminate all of the added sugars.
- Sad news: you can gain weight even if you eat healthily. You can overdo it with the veggies and dip or creamy asparagus soup. So make sure you’re not eating something solely because it seems healthy and watch your portion sizes.
- There are SO MANY holiday events- work parties, family gatherings, friend celebrations. Use these times to socialize and be present rather than rummaging for holiday treats. A good idea is to eat before you go. Something with protein and vegetables to keep you feeling full and help you keep your focus where it belongs: on present company.
- Between holiday traveling, all that shopping, and your everyday commitments, it can be easy to skimp on sleep in order to complete your to-do list, but getting a regular six to nine hours of sleep every night helps regulate hormones, promotes recovery from workouts, and prevents daily fatigue.
- Fasting before a big meal can backfire! Low blood sugar from hunger increases cortisol levels, which leads to cravings for fatty, salty, and sugary foods. Instead of saving up for the big meal, nibble on healthy snacks like raw veggies, nuts, and fruit throughout the day to avoid a complete over indulgence.
- One of the biggest pitfalls of holiday eating is not being able to tell when you’re full and no longer truly enjoying the food you’re eating. To help you answer this question, try the “fork trick”: Once you take a bite of food, place your fork down on the plate, and let go of the fork. Chew your food, swallow, and then pick up your fork again. The key to this trick is actually letting go of the fork. This will remind you to slow down, enjoy your food, and converse with friends and family. By eating more slowly, you’ll be more in touch with your body’s satiety signals.
- It turns out that most traditional holiday dishes are really not that unhealthy—think lean turkey, roasted vegetables, nuts—but adding in all the additional trimmings to the dishes are what adds the extra calories. Simply eliminate extras such as gravy, cream sauces, butter, and crust on pies, and you’ll ax loads of unnecessary calories and fat.
- It’s easy to confuse thirst with hunger, leading to mindless snacking that never satiates. To make sure you’re staying hydrated, drink half your body weight in water. For added detoxification, try adding ginger or lemon.