5 Nutrition Tips for The Holidays! The holidays are here! With Thanksgiving coming up and Christmas and New Years just around the corner, there is plenty to be excited for- seeing friends and family, exchanging gifts, traveling, and of course, food! Whether you are new to your health journey or have been at this for years, holidays can be difficult to navigate. Here are 5 tips you can use at your next holiday meal to make it a little bit healthier. If you are attending a holiday party, offer to bring a healthy dish. This time of year is well-known for the more indulgent food choices. If you are invited to a gathering, speak to the host and offer to bring a healthier dish to add variety. This helps to ensure that at least one healthy option will be available at the party! If you are unsure what to make, check out these options below: -Butternut Squash Hummus (served with assorted raw veggies and multigrain crackers) https://www.thehealthymaven.com/roasted-butternut-squash-hummus/ -Kale Pomegranate Salad https://cocoandcamellia.com/pomegranate-kale-salad/ -Garlic Roasted Green Beans https://www.crazyforcrust.com/roasted-garlic-green-beans/ Follow the plate method. Following the plate method is something you can do whether you are cooking a meal at home, eating out at a restaurant or sitting down for a holiday meal. The plate method is a way of structuring your plate, so that 50% of your plate is non-starchy vegetables, 25% of your plate is a protein source, and 25% of your plate is a starchy carbohydrate. It looks like this: For example, if you were to practice this method on Thanksgiving, you would fill half your plate with a green salad, green beans, or another plain roasted vegetable side dish. Turkey would make up one quarter of your plate, and the last quarter of your plate might have mashed potatoes and/or stuffing. The plate method is just a way of shifting your portions- you don’t need to cut out the starchier carbohydrates, but just give them less real estate on your plate and make veggies the star of the show! Don’t skip meals to save for a feast! This tip is so important! It is not doing your body any favors to skip breakfast or lunch the day of a holiday in order to save up for a larger dinner. In fact, this increases your hunger level, making you more likely to consume a larger amount of food when you do eat, as well as eat far past the point of fullness. Not to mention you may feel hangry all day while waiting for dinner time to roll around! The best thing you can do for your body is to maintain your normal eating schedule by eating a healthy, balanced breakfast and lunch with whole grains, lean protein, veggies, and healthy fats. This also takes you out of the “feast or famine” mindset when you do sit down to eat, which will help you to enjoy your meal more! These foods aren’t special. This one may sound harsh, but hear me out. Foods that are associated with Thanksgiving or Christmas usually aren’t eaten at other times of the year, which may cause our brain to view them as “special” or “treat” foods. Labeling a food like this increases the likelihood of eating a larger than usual amount. Try your best to gently let go of this mindset. Remind yourself that you can eat turkey and mashed potatoes on a random Thursday in April if you so please- these foods are available for you to eat whenever, and you do not have to eat them as if you will never see them again! Enjoy more indulgent foods mindfully, pay attention to your level of hunger throughout the meal, and when you are feeling satisfied, use that as a cue to say “see you soon” to your favorite foods. Remember to hydrate! With increased meal sizes and possibly more alcoholic drinks around this time of the year, it is even more important to make sure your body is well-hydrated by drinking enough water. When your body is not properly hydrated, we can actually misinterpret this by thinking we are hungry, leading to more snacking! Make sure to choose water at meal times and bring a reusable water bottle with you on the go. This is a simple way to help you have more energy and be able to enjoy the holidays to the fullest!
One extra tip I want to leave you with- don’t wait until the New Year to start working on your health goals. If you are unsure where to get started, we can help by creating a customized nutrition plan just for you! Contact hannah@sinfitberlin.com with any questions or comments.
