The holidays and food go hand-in-hand. And it’s usually not the healthiest foods that are the star of the show.
We recovered from Thanksgiving, but Christmas or Hanukkah is right around the corner. Then just a week later with have New Year’s celebrations. And it’s not just the one day either. We have special work lunches, school parties, cocktail hours, open houses, cookie exchanges, and more. It’s not like a birthday or anniversary when you may choose to indulge for just one day. Both Christmas and New Year’s have Eve celebrations that are just as big as the main event.
In fact, studies show that 75% of a person’s annual weight gain happens in December. We have just a few weeks left to turn this ship around and make sure this isn’t us this year. None of us want to enter the New Year having to add losing that extra 10 pounds to the resolution list.
This doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the fun. You can choose to enjoy the holidays and still eat responsibly. Here are my tips to help you do just that.
Start With a Healthy Meal
Have a healthy meal before arriving to the holiday party or cocktail hour. Fill up on healthy foods – lean proteins, vegetables, health fats – so you will be less likely to overeat junk food.
Make Your Contribution Healthy
When asked to bring a dish to share, choose an offering is both healthy and delicious. This ensures you will have a healthy option and limit your consumption of unhealthy food.
Don’t Focus on the Food
When attending a party, spend your time and attention on the other guests. Take time for a snack, but otherwise mingle and socialize. Community is why we gather anyway, not food.
Keep Your Normal Routine
An occasional lapse in nutrition and exercise won’t do any damage, but let’s not throw in the towel for the whole month due to a handful of events. Eat well at your other meals and continue to exercise regularly.
Wait 30 Minutes for Seconds
Your meal can be plenty to make you full, but your brain may not yet have registered the information. Stop and chat for 30 minutes before deciding to go for seconds.
Take a Daily Walk
Get the entire family together for a daily walk, especially after a large meal. This will help reduce your appetite, improve digestions, and keep your blood sugar under control.
Eat Slowly
The slower you eat, the better your body is able to digest and use the food. You will also better hear your bodies signals that you are full. Chew completely and talk between bites.
Give Your Body What it Needs for Success
A little caffeine for energy, green tea extract to boost metabolism, prebiotics for better digestion, chromium to better convert fat to energy, or grape skin extract to balance blood sugar resulting in fewer cravings.
You can try one of these separately, or I use a supplement every day at 2 pm that contains all of these -> My Favorite Product Ever!.
Plan ahead this year for your Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. Excessive eating isn’t a prerequisite to having a good time and the fatigue or grumpiness that follows gets in the way of fulling enjoy your time with family and friends. Focus on making healthy choices and moderation.
If you aren’t sure what the healthiest choices are for your body or how to balance your diet to meet your health or weight loss goals, join us for our next Free Healthy Habits Nutrition Workshop. We will cover all of this and more so that you know what works best for YOUR body. You will walk away with a plan for the holidays and the New Year.
Click the link below to inquire about dates and seat availability for our next workshop.
