Healthy Holiday Eating

The holiday season is my favorite time of year. Family, friends, and you can't forget about all the great food. Its easy to over do it so with Christmas being just a few days away, I wanted to take a moment and give everyone some easy to follow healthy eating tips. These tips aren't meant to ruin your holiday eating, rather they are here to allow you to eat what you want but help you avoid going off the rails.

#1: Don't go back for seconds
Im guilty of this one. I will finish off a plate of ham, green beans, mashed potatoes, and sweet potato casserole and be back in line getting a second plate before I can swallow the last bite. Eat what you want to eat but a great accountability tool is to limit yourself to a single plate. This keeps you from adding extra volume and extra calories while still letting you enjoy holiday meals.

#2: Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed
Its very easy for ours eyes to be bigger than our stomachs. An easy rule of thumb that I use is to treat holiday meals as similar to any other meal as I can. If I wouldn't eat three plates normally, don't do it now. This tip is simple and obvious but during the holiday season its often ignored.

#3: If you overeat at one meal, go light on the next
Remember, your daily intake is what matters. Budget calories accordingly. You don't necessarily have to track calories but if you know you are going to have a heavy lunch, keep breakfast light.

#4: Be careful with beverages.
Alcohol can lower inhibitions and lead to overeating. Non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar especially juices and sodas.

#5: Don’t skip meals.
Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of fruit to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge once it's time to eat.

#6: Be realistic with your weight goals.
Don’t try to lose weight during the holidays, instead try to maintain your pre-holiday weight and focus on weightloss after.

#7: Pack snacks when traveling
If you plan ahead, you can avoid the junk food that often comes with travel. Pack relatively healthy snacks to eat. Rather than stopping at a convenience store to get a candy bar, get beef jerky instead. As I mentioned early, fruit and vegetables make easy/filling snacks as do mixed nuts.

I hope these help. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and lets start 2018 off healthy and happy!