5 Tips to Healthy Holidays
Holidays can bring out a wide variety of our emotions - joy, happiness, love, and excitement to stress, anxiety, sadness, and loneliness. It’s possible with a little planning and intention to amplify the positive vibes. In fact, all of the groundwork you’ve been putting into building a healthier lifestyle will help you navigate the holidays without the feeling of completely falling off the wagon. It is possible to enjoy everything the holidays bring.
Here are a few tips to help you have a healthy holiday season:
First and foremost, remember that holiday events and gatherings are only a few days out of the entire year. If you are already mindful of making healthy choices at least 80 percent of the year, then enjoying some of the splurges of the holidays is perfectly fine. In fact, our philosophy here at The Union is to make the healthiest choices we can 80 percent of the time and leave 20 percent wiggle room to still enjoy life in a way that feels right in the moment. So leave the guilt and shame behind and allow yourself to enjoy each moment to the fullest. Just continue to make healthier choices surrounding your holiday events. Don’t let one meal or one event that doesn’t go as planned derail the entire holiday season.
Make a list of the things that are important to you and your family and that bring you the most joy - traditions, memories you want to make, places you want to go, people you want to see. Keep this list in sight throughout the holiday months and make sure you are prioritizing these items on your list. It’s ok to say no. It can make this time of year very stressful if you’re trying to do all the things that everyone wants you to. Remember what’s most important to your family and focus on those things.
Continue to incorporate healthy habits into your days such as movement and meditation. With this time of year being busier than normal, you might have less time to accomplish these items, but just because you can’t do them as often, doesn’t mean you should completely forget about them until January. Fit them in whenever you can. Go for walks with your family, especially after your big Thanksgiving meals. Walking will not only help you digest your food better and help you maintain your blood sugar levels, but it’s also a great stress reducer.
We know that getting together with family is not always a positive experience for everyone. If you know you’re going to be walking into difficult situations and conversations, try to come up with a game plan for how you will handle things before you get there. This can help alleviate some of the stress and anxiety you may feel. What can you say if someone offers you a food or drink you are choosing not to consume, or comments on your healthier eating style? How can you politely decline and move onto another topic? What might that change of subject be? Come up with ideas ahead of time that can help get everyone back on even footing.
There are numerous positive actions you can take to support your well-being and nourish your body during the holiday season if prioritizing healthier eating aligns with your goals.
Feel free to try a little bit of everything; listening to your body’s clues and honoring digestive needs by savoring small portions - emphasizing moderation over excess.
Start your meals with nutrient-rich vegetable dishes and lean proteins to prioritize essential nutrients. Those will provide you with the best nutrients first. Then you can add the other dishes to your plate eating just until you feel full and not completely stuffed.
Be proactive by bringing your own dish to share, ensuring you have nourishing options that align with any allergies or sensitivities you may have.
Sometimes it’s helpful to eat a wholesome snack such as veggies or a small smoothie before you go to a holiday event. This helps curb the temptation of less nutritious options.
To help manage sugar intake effectively, maybe choose to have either a dessert or alcoholic beverages. Both can be very high in sugar and choosing one or the other is a great way to opt for a more mindful approach.
Cook as much of the food yourself from the original food source. Cooking at a home is typically going to be healthier than eating out or using processed packaged foods. This also gives you the ability to swap ingredients for something that might help make your dish a little more nutritious and tailored to your goals. The smallest swaps go a long way.
Relish the experience. Eat slowly and savor the meal surrounded by your friends and family. Allow yourself to just be in the moment and soak up the joy rather than scrutinizing every bite or sip you take. Spending time with loved ones is actually great for our health. Remember the reason for the season.
