The holiday season can cause some serious panic around our food choices. We have parties to attend, traveling, and traditional holiday dishes that can be pretty calorie dense. Some people might say
“Oh screw it! There’s no way I can navigate the holiday season. I’m just going to take a break!”
What if I told you that you could have nutritional success during the holiday season AND enjoy yourself?
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Sounds crazy, right!? After all, there are cookie exchanges to attend!
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5 Tips to Survive the Holiday (Food) Season
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1. Give yourself a break
Giving yourself a break is not the same as taking a break. What we are talking about is self-compassion and realizing you have choices in every situation. So you wake up one morning having stuffed yourself at Thanksgiving dinner, or you had too many drinks at your neighbor’s holiday party, you are feeling the effects today from your decisions the night before. Don’t fret about it. Wipe the slate clean; today is a new day. How can you make better choices today? Maybe your better choice is to make sure you get the veggies in today to help your body feel better from yesterdays episode.
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2. Eat before your festivities
It really is better to eat normally the day of a big celebration. If you don’t eat to save your calories for your Thanksgiving meal, more likely than not you will end up making yourself sick from overeating. Your eyes will be too big for your stomach. Eating your normal meals throughout the day will help you take smaller portions of the calorie dense food at your celebration. This practice allows you to focus on enjoying the people around you instead of feeding your hungry monster.
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3. Look for the veggies first
Looking for veggies first is a trick I use while traveling, at holiday meals, and social events. I scan my food choices before I even make a move. What is my best choice right now? I find that prioritizing veggies makes me not feel like crap. I load up my plate with those first before I add anything else.
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4. Enjoy yourself
What’s my purpose, right now? The holiday season is different for everyone. But I would gather, if you’re at a holiday meal or event, the food isn’t the reason you are there. It’s the people. Your purpose is to be a part of a family, to celebrate traditions, and enjoy your friends. Sometimes, these things should win over “nutrition.” Life is to be celebrated and enjoyed.
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5. Eat slowly
How do you enjoy your surroundings and create memories to last a lifetime? You slow down. Instead of shoveling food in your mouth without a thought only to be riddled with guilt and spending more time on the toilet than you would like, taste your food. Enjoy your friends and family, and really enjoy the moment. We spend all year rushing around. What if we treated the holidays as an opportunity to embrace the family and friends around us and savor the moment?
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And there you have it—go enjoy the holidays! And if you’re ever looking for any help with your nutrition or fitness this holiday season, we’re here for you!