The holidays are a time spent with family and friends normally surrounded by lots and lots of food. Traditional foods are something to look forward to year round but as we all know, portion sizes can get out of hand. Many people experience weight gain and may not feel their best due overeating unhealthy foods. I wanted to dedicate a post to my top tips for eating healthy during the holidays. I believe that you can still enjoy your favorite holiday foods while also staying true to your healthy lifestyle. Here are my top tips for this:
For even more tips to living a healthier life I recommend checking out my back to basics nutrition resource guide.
- Offer to bring a healthy dish to the party. Offer to bring a salad, healthy side dish (recipes here) OR make two versions of a traditional food. For example, if you always bring your signature cookies to a gathering, try making a healthy version as well. This way, guest can still enjoy the traditional food but also have the option of a healthier alternative.
- Set goals/rules for yourself. Create rules that you think you will be able to achieve. Some examples: Limit yourself to one small appetizer plate; No more than two alcoholic drinks throughout the night; Make your dinner plate half vegetables and the rest whatever you like; Don’t go up for seconds; Limit yourself to 1-2 dessert items.
- Limit the amount of unhealthy beverages/alcoholic beverages. Whether it’s punch, soda or juice, these calories will add up FAST! If you want to have an alcoholic beverage, I recommend limiting your intake to no more than 2 drinks. Be sure to drink a lot of water in between to help with hydration. Be mindful of the “mix” that you choose with your alcohol; try to avoid the high sugar soda/juices (opt for pure juices, water or choose wine).
- Limit snacking. Don’t let yourself fall into unhealthy snacking habits just because it’s the holidays. I recommend staying mindful during the holidays and eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full.
- Don’t skip meals. I hear a lot of the same things when it comes to skipping meals like… “There will be a lot of food at dinner, so I won’t eat lunch”. It’s better to go to a gathering somewhat full to help avoid overeating. Going to a gathering on an empty stomach will promote over snacking and binge eating. Continue to eat healthy meals and drink a lot of water before going to a holiday gathering.
- Stay mindful. As mentioned above, being mindful of how much your eating is extremely important. Only eating when you’re hungry and stopping when you’re full is important to remember during the holidays. I suggest eating slowly, drinking a few sips every now and then. See more about mindful eating and potion sizes here.
- Exercise & Sleep. Continuing/(or starting!) to exercise during the holidays is important because it will help you feel better. Even if it’s only a little bit everyday, it’s a lot better than no exercise. Sleep: Holidays are normally pretty busy, but that shouldn’t mean your sleep schedule should be affected. Aim for 7-10 hours of sleep ever night.
Downloadable PDF here.
Stay safe & enjoy the holidays!
-Brittney
Stay connected with me: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest
Get weekly healthy recipe post sent to your inbox & a FREE resource guide on How to Eat Healthy on a Budget! Sign up today!
[wysija_form id=”2″]
[…] Healthy Eating During the Holidays (7 TIPS) […]