The holiday season is upon us, for many, this means a crammed social calendar full of events with friends, family and colleagues. With the winter madness in full swing our day to day healthy eating habits often get neglected.
Not helped by the colder weather which leads us to crave heavier, calorie dense foods and of course sugar laden desserts! While it may seem hard, healthy holiday eating is possible. Read on to discover some nutrition tips for healthy meals over the holiday season.
1. Plan Ahead
- Review the events or social gatherings you have coming up, ideally before the week kicks off. This will give you time to plan ahead and come up with some holiday meal strategies.
- That could be reviewing the restaurant menu online ahead of time, drinking a large glass of water before cocktail hour, or making sure you have a balanced, fiber filled breakfast in the morning.
- You are less likely to make impulsive food decisions when you know what you have coming up.
- If you can, try to space out your social gatherings throughout the week so you can revert to your normal eating plan in between.
2. Don’t Demonize Food
- Many of us fall into the trap of viewing specific foods or food groups as inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’. One common example during the holiday season is carbs. Many of us have grown up with the notion that all carbs are unhealthy or automatically lead to weight gain.
- Remember, one dessert or an extra helping of mashed potato is not going to make you gain weight! While it is true that some carbs are a better choice than others (I’m thinking of sweet potato and whole wheat bread over mashed potato and white bread), it’s ok to opt for our preferred option now and again.
- Carbs provide energy and a source of fiber that keeps us regular – so enjoy them! Combining them with protein and fats in the same meal or snack is one holiday meal strategy to keep blood sugar in check and reduce further cravings.
3. Fill Up Your Plate
- This point is most relevant for buffet and family-style eating occasions when over eating is most likely to occur.
- Fill up your plate the first time around, preferably starting with the vegetable options, then protein and finishing with carbs or a sweet treat.
- We can easily lose track of how full we are if we opt to only fill a small amount of our plate the first time around and then return for second and thirds.
- Take a 15 minute break before returning to give your stomach a chance to communicate fully to your brain – this takes time!
4. Identify Your Trigger
- There are many factors that can lead people to over eat during the holiday period or not make as many healthy choices.
- Being aware of these factors and understanding what influence they have both physically and psychologically can make you a more mindful eater.
- Factors include additional traveling, nostalgia associated with eating particular foods or the stress and excitement of being around different family members.
- These changes can alter cortisol levels, our body’s stress hormone.
- Altered levels can amplify the rewarding value of food and increase cravings. Implementing a stress management strategy such as a daily meditation, a walk during the day or a warm cup of tea can help to lower stress and cortisol.
5. Stick To A Regular Bedtime & Wake Up
- Later nights paired with alcohol can play havoc on our circadian rhythm and sleep quality. There is a close tie between poor sleep quality, overeating and poor dietary quality.
- Try to keep to a regular bedtime, avoid phone and other screen time at least 2 hours before bed and turn down lights at least one hour before ideal sleep time.
- This will help your brain transition from day to night and encourage secretion of melatonin, the sleep inducing hormone.
- Similarly, waking up at a regular time has been shown to strengthen our circadian rhythm, promoting better metabolic health and reduced cravings.
6. Cook Hearty Meals At Home
- Try to squeeze in some time around your social calendar to make some hearty winter recipes!
- Seasonal veggies such as brussel sprouts, beets, winter squash, broccoli and apples make great additions to soups, casseroles and stews.
- These are easy to make meals that can be thrown together in a hot pot. Festive spices and herbs can also add some extra antioxidants into your diet.
