How To Enjoy The Holidays Without Sabotaging Your Health Goals

The holiday season is here and you know what that means. Time with family and friends gathering around huge tables of food and lots and lots of desserts. Whether you’re just getting into new healthy habits or you’ve been working on them a while it can be hard to keep them up during the holidays. All the yummy foods are constantly around at work, home, gatherings, and everywhere in between. While we’re all strong enough to just not eat it short term, the more it is available, the harder it gets to say NO. So I’ve got some tips to get you through without throwing away all your hard work.

1. 2-3 Bite Taste Test
   Ok so I know what you’re thinking . . . Is 2-3 bites going to be enough? Well, let’s think about what happens at these holiday feasts. So often we have deprived ourselves of all the foods we love so long that when we get to a holiday, we tend to binge. But what you might not know is that the first few bites are usually the most pleasurable. So, what if we started by taking a few bites (2-3) of your favorite holiday foods and then check in to see if that was actually enough. More often than not, it’s enough to satisfy the craving without overeating.

2. Eat off a Smaller Plate
   Have you ever served yourself in a large bowl and thought there’s not enough food, and served yourself in a small bowl and thought wow I've got so much food? That’s because our minds get tricked visually. By starting with a smaller plate, your portion size will be smaller, but it will look larger than it is and trick your mind into thinking there’s enough food. This is a trick I use for my own eating habits all the time but especially when it comes to dessert.

3. One Plate Rule
   Ok so, there you are getting ready to fill your plate with a little bit of everything. But before you do, try this trick instead. Take a peek at what your options are and then stop and ask yourself, “What’s worth the calories or carbs?” Then fill your one plate by sticking with the items that are worth the indulgence and work for your health plan. It’s easy to go overboard when everyone else is, so just remember, everything in moderation. It’s ok to have some sugar, some simple carbs, some unhealthy fats. We just don’t want to fill our plate with them and go back for seconds or thirds. That’s when we get into trouble. So remember, cruise the table, choose the items that work best for you, and give yourself a little grace.

4. Mindful Eating
   When we’re hungry or “hangry,” it’s easy to scarf down a plate of food so fast that we don’t even really get to process what we’ve eaten before we’ve consumed it. As a result we don’t get to enjoy what we’re eating, in fact, we don’t sometimes it doesn’t even register. It’s like we’re just going through the motions. Sound familiar? But when we practice mindful eating we use all of our senses to enjoy our food. This slows us down which allows our brain to catch up and recognize when we’re full and helps us not overeat. Bonus points if you can spend at least 20 minutes eating your food and chew your food at least 5 times before it goes down. Pro tip - Try not to let yourself get below a rating of 5 on your hunger scale and above an 8 on your fullness scale. This will help you stay in the sweet spot where you’re in control of your cravings and healthy eating habits.

5. Watch Those Bevvies!
   Wine, Beer, Champagne, and mixed drinks are often readily available at holiday gatherings amongst other gatherings throughout the year. Before you know it you’ve knocked back a few and you’re having a great time which can lead to a few more. Did you know that 5 ounces of dry wine or champagne, 12 ounces of beer, or 1 ½ ounces of distilled liquor each have about 100 calories? These types of drinks can also raise blood sugar levels, so think about that as you decide where you want to indulge over the holidays. We budget our money so it’s the same idea here. Budget your calories for where you’d like to use them.

6. Get Your Zzz’s
   You might be wondering how getting sleep could help. Well, most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep daily. When we deprive ourselves of the restful sleep we need, we tend to feel stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, and frustrated, which can lead to emotional eating. That’s when our cravings take over and we give in to temptation. So make sure to get a good night of sleep to help you manage your cravings during the holidays.

7. Make Simple Healthy Swaps
   The holidays are often an excuse for making the most unhealthy meals because, well, they taste delicious. They’re often filled with tons of calories, excess sugar, fats, and salt, but we don’t eat like that all year. So why not indulge for this special occasion right? Well, the big question is will it throw all your hard work away to indulge excessively? If the answer is yes, then let’s talk healthy swaps. Consider swapping out regular potatoes in favor of sweet potatoes. There’s not much that they need since they’re sweet all on their own. You can get a little bit of sweetness with that same starchiness. Go for the dark chocolate (60% or more) instead of the pies. Dark chocolate contains less sugar and more nutrients so you tend to eat less of it. Swap out refined sugar for honey or maple syrup when possible. They don’t spike blood sugar as much. Instead of casseroles, just make the veggies as a side. You can still enjoy many of the same foods with these minor tweaks and everyone will have a healthier holiday season because of it.

8. Move Your Body
   This is one we often overlook during the holidays, but as simple as it is, it makes a huge difference. By doing some form of physical activity, you are burning calories and lowers blood sugar levels by using up some of the nutrients that you just consumed right away. And it aids digestion as well. Ever try taking a walk after a heavy meal or doing a little yoga to get the juices flowing? Well that’s exactly what happens so make sure you get a little movement in (i.e. walk, dance, shovel snow, run, or whatever else you love). It all counts!

9. Fill 1/2 Your Plate with Veggies
   This is a trick you can use at any meal So what you do is fill up 1/2 of your plate with veggies like broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, or other veggies. You’re getting complex carbohydrates that are harder for your body to digest so you’ll get a more even energy. And there’s less guilt when you go for some dessert because vegetables contain fewer calories than starchy foods. So try it out and let me know what you think.

10. Push That Plate + The Napkin Trick
    I’m sure you’ve heard that many people will put their utensils together on their plate when they’re finished eating. When the plate is empty at the end of a meal, then this is usually enough to not go back for more. But, when we are enjoying ourselves and we’re full but there’s still food on our plate, sometimes we need to take it a step further. So there’s a couple things you can do. You could push your plate away from you so that there is actual space between you and your plate. And if that’s not enough, place your napkin on top. If after you sit for a bit you are still hungry, you can always go back for more. This not only gives you time for your brain to catch up to your full signals, it also gives you some time to stop and digest your food. And once you’ve taken that pause, you’re way less likely to go back for more.

The holidays are a special time of year and we all have traditions that we love that help make it even more fun to celebrate, but they don’t have to derail all the progress you’ve made. Keep these tips in mind at your next family gathering and you’ll be able to enjoy the holidays without the sabotage.

If you’re needing support and accountability this holiday season, let’s chat. I’ve got the perfect thing for you! Click here to get on my calendar.

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Cheers to your health!