Eating Healthy During the Holidays
The holidays can be a stressful time. For many people, one of the reasons for this is the food. Holiday party after holiday party offering bountiful selections dominate our schedules, providing ample opportunities to eat in ways we normally don’t. This can lead to overeating, especially when it comes to those not-so-great-for-you sweets and treats. And when that happens, we’re left feeling bad about it, beating ourselves up or using it as an excuse to binge eat.
But what if I told you there’s another way? That you can enjoy these get-togethers while still eating healthy during the holidays.
Healthy Eating During the Holidays
What does healthy eating mean to you? Some would say it’s eating salads and vegetables all the time. Some think it’s never eating dessert. And some swear that it means eating the right amount so you don’t gain weight.
While I’m a huge fan of veggies (especially salads packed with protein and a variety of fruits and vegetables), restricting yourself to just those foods is NOT the way to approach healthy eating during the holidays.
You can enjoy your favorite foods, attend parties, and continue eating healthy during the holidays.
Tips for eating healthy during the holidays
Being able to continue eating healthy during the holidays starts with changing your perception of what that means. Mindset shifts can be powerful catalysts for change. To be clear, I’m not talking about changing your food intake from pie to steamed broccoli. Instead, change your approach to how you eat during the holidays.
Give yourself permission to eat the candy canes, ham, and pies. You don’t have to restrict yourself. And you don’t have to feel bad for enjoying yourself.
The holidays are meant to be a joyful time, but so often we feel that we should be doing something other than what we’re doing that it becomes stressful. Then we use it as an excuse to go off the rails and end up making it worse for ourselves.
Here are some helpful tips for eating healthy during the holidays while still participating in holiday gatherings and eating the foods you love:
Plan ahead
One of the first things I do when someone tells me where we’re eating is check out their menu. You can preselect a few healthier dishes or plan around the not-so-good-for-you options you know you'll want by filling your other meals that day with healthier choices.
For example, if I know I’m going to an Italian restaurant and will be eating pasta for dinner and cannolis for dessert, I’ll eat mostly protein and vegetables for breakfast and lunch to maintain an overall balance for the day.
Control What You Can
Heading to a friend or family member’s home for the holidays? Offer to bring a dish. Not only can you share something you enjoy with the people you love, but controlling one of the only variables that you actually can control is a great way to make sure there is at least one healthier option for you.
Don’t Overeat
You might be thinking easier said than done, and you’re right. It’s hard to stop eating when you show up to a party famished, which is what happens when you don't eat a lot during the day. This tactic, which I’m totally guilty of sometimes, is commonly used to try and keep to a certain calorie count for the day. While it might sound well and good, it can be counterproductive.
Instead of showing up with a completely empty stomach, eat a snack a couple of hours before you go. A snack containing lean protein and carbohydrates or healthy fat will satiate you so you’re not ravenous when you arrive.
Also, prioritizing the foods you’ll eat can help. Don’t feel the need to eat the complimentary bread just because everyone else is digging in, or sample every food that’s put out. It’s ok to take just your favorites instead of feeling obligated to try everything.
Watch Your Alcohol Consumption
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that you abstain from alcohol during the holidays. I’m the first to volunteer to pour mimosas on Christmas Eve and I don’t intend to change that anytime soon.
But setting a drink limit ahead of time so you don’t 1) end up drinking WAY too much of some sugary, mega-calorie holiday concoction and 2) start mindlessly eating (alcohol can do that to you) can help keep things in check. Drink your favorite drink, but consider switching to a mocktail when you’ve hit your limit so your judgment doesn’t get affected.
Also, remember to drink water too! Staying hydrated is never a bad idea and can help keep you feeling good throughout the party or event.
Tips for staying healthy during the holidays
Staying healthy during the holiday season is about so much more than what you eat. Remember to take care of yourself so you feel good both physically and mentally. Here are a few of my favorite tips for staying healthy during the holidays:
Set appropriate expectations for your situation. Don’t try to perfectly adhere to your healthy eating plan. We aren’t able to execute the same level of skill (say, eating 5 servings of vegetables a day) when we’re in a more difficult situation (not having control over what’s being served). So if you’re used to having a ton of control over your day and the food that’s around you, it’s going to be hard to eat the same way when you don’t have control over the food around you.
Treat yourself like a child. What I mean by this is, if your son or daughter, niece, nephew, or grandchild made a mistake, would you yell at them for it? Probably not. Treat yourself the same way. Don’t beat yourself up if you end up not eating so healthy. Instead, try telling yourself, “it’s ok, I’ll try again tomorrow”.
Don’t use a day or two of poor eating as an excuse to eat all the junk food you want. Avoid thinking that just because you ate a ton of cookies that you can’t still eat vegetables. Eating the cookies does not negate all of the good-for-you things you’ve done up to that point. It just makes you human!
This holiday season, when you’re faced with course after course after course, I challenge you to think differently. Enjoy your favorite dishes and drinks without trying to avoid certain foods at all costs. Know that you get to decide what you eat and don’t think about what you should be doing. This way, you can continue eating healthy during the holidays knowing that it’s not all-or-nothing.
If you have questions on how you can practice healthy eating during the holidays even if this is something you typically struggle with, send me a message for personalized guidance.
