Imagine: it’s January 5th. The time has finally come to go back to work after the Winter holidays, and your favorite skirt won’t zip up.
The holiday season is the brightest time of the year. Days spent away from work and with family are happy, refreshing, and well deserved. They’re also usually synonymous with delicious baked goods and big, epic dinners.
With that warm pumpkin pie staring you down, it can seem impossible to maintain your healthy eating habits. With these simple healthy holiday eating tips, though, you’ll be able to have your pie and eat it too (guilt-free)!
Be Mindful
“Mindfulness.” It’s a word we hear a lot these days- but what exactly does it mean? It’s defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.”
How does that relate to healthy eating?
Imagine you’re finishing the last bite of Granny’s signature holiday stuffing. You wait all year for this, and today is your stuffing heyday. You’re already thinking about round two.
Stop right there. Take a minute to reflect on your experience with the stuffing.
You’ve savored your first portion, enjoying every bite. Isn’t that all you’ve been waiting for? Will a second helping improve this experience?
Probably not. Once you’ve come to that realization, it’ll be a lot easier to decline a second helping. You’ll feel satisfied with everything the first had to offer.
Holiday favorites account for 18% of overeating habits around the holidays. Remember: this isn’t the last time you’ll get to eat that stuffing, or your favorite pie. Savor it with restraint, and it’ll be that much better.
Get Out Your Smartphone
The holidays are a perfect time to put your phone down and spend quality time with family, but taking a few moments to use your food diary app can help you avoid mindless overeating.
There are tons of great food diary apps out there for your device. They help track calories and other nutritional information in what you eat to help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals.
Logging your holiday diet as you go along can be eye-opening. It’s easy to eat extra sweets and treats just because they’re there, but the calories can add up quickly.
Open up your food diary app before you indulge around the holidays. This’ll help you decide if that slice is in your daily budget, or if now would be a good time for some self-control.
Be Choosy
Honey ham, turkey, sweet potatoes, green beans, stuffing, cakes, pies — the holiday menu goes on and on! Plates end up heavier than a baby turkey. Of course, you want to taste a little of everything.
Try not to. If you love it, enjoy it. If you can get to tomorrow without dreaming about it all night, leave it on the counter.
According to Gourmet Guide, starting with salad can help fill you up with nutritional fiber before you dig into your favorites. This will make you feel less hungry, which will make it easier to stick to just your favorites.
You don’t need to sample everything on the menu. Invest in the foods you really adore. You’ll feel more satisfied in your holiday meals without all the extra calories.
Drink Water
With all the eggnog and bubbly around, it can be easy to forget about the rather less exciting beverages. Drinking plenty of water can help keep you full, though, which can help prevent overeating.
Try alternating a glass of water with every glass of wine. Although this is a good practice any time of the year, the result around the holidays will be looser waistlines and fewer headaches in the morning!
Relax
Guilt is an old friend when it comes to holiday overeating and subsequent unwanted weight. Don’t let it bum you out. You’re entitled to enjoy everything life has to offer, including big, delicious meals every once in a while.
These healthy holiday eating tips will help you not to overindulge, but allow yourself to indulge a little bit. You deserve it, and as long as you don’t go overboard, it’s perfectly okay to enjoy your holidays with a slice of pie or two!
Healthy Holiday Eating Tips Should Work For You, Not Against You
If you consider healthy eating around the holidays as a chore, it’s naturally going to be a lot more difficult. Keep in mind that your health is important every day of the year, regardless of the date. Extra weight won’t differentiate between holidays and regular days!
If you think of healthy eating as a tool for a longer and happier life, it makes it a whole lot easier. Remember that healthy eating supports your long-term goals, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a slice of pumpkin pie!
