Happy Holidays! When you think of the holidays, what comes to mind? The holidays to me mean quality time with family and friends, laughing until my abs hurt, festive cocktails, homemade cookies and pies and tons of savory and sweet foods. It is ok to enjoy the holidays and your favorite foods, but if you are trying to lose weight or balance your blood sugar, think about doing this in moderation. We are programmed to always think that if we indulge we should wait until the next day, next week, next month or in this case next year, to get back to healthy eating, but this is always detrimental to our success. The average person gains 5-8 pounds during the holidays because there is no balance. A great strategy to combat this is to focus on the next meal and not the next day or the next Monday to get back on track.
Mindfulness and balance are essential when it comes to staying on track with your wellness goals. The best way to approach holiday parties is to use the crowding-out method. The practice of crowding out consists of filling up on the healthy options first so that you don’t have a lot of room for the processed, high sugar and really fatty foods that can throw you completely off course.
Follow these tips to have a more balanced holiday season:
- Eat something before you go, do not show up to a holiday gathering hungry because appetizers are usually the worst option at the party.
- Start your meal with protein and vegetables first, this way you fill up on the nutritious foods.
- Put your fork down between bites, this will help prevent overeating.
- Chew properly. This means 20-30 times per bite to ensure proper digestion.
- Bring a dish that is nutritious to share with everyone so you know you have at least one good option.
- Stay hydrated, for every alcoholic beverage you have, drink a glass of water.
- Try to avoid family members that are critical of you, they might trigger you to eat or drink more.
- Think of Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner as a one day pass but not a season’s pass or a weekend pass. Enjoy and savor everything and start fresh the next day.
Your friend in wellness,
Courtney Titus, Certified Holistic Health Coach
