Tips For Staying on Track This Holiday Season!

With the holidays coming up, it is easy to lose focus on your goals when spending time with loved ones. Eating “good” is not about adhering to a strict diet, It’s about balance. But we all know the holidays are coming up and it’s hard when all of the food seems to tempt you way past the point of no return. In this blog post, I will give some strategies and tips that will help you stay on track this holiday season!

 1. Offer to host 

Offer to have the holiday party at your place. By doing this you are giving yourself the opportunity to control the menu. You can integrate healthier options into the menu that are still tasty yet allows you to stay within your dietary plan. 

2. Avoid Drinking your Calories

Now I’m not here to tell y’all not to drink any alcoholic beverages, but they are oftentimes filled with sugars and empty calories. This often tends to people taking in more calories than planned because it is often an afterthought. I also recommend skipping out on sodas and other sugary drinks. If you feel bored with plain water, I recommend making berry-infused water or drink sparkling water with either berries or lemon. Infused water is a nice way to make the ordinary extraordinary and adds a little extra sparkle to your water pitcher this holiday season! 

3. Don’t skip meals 

If you know a large meal is coming up later in the day, avoid skipping meals earlier in the day to “save space” for the foods coming up later. Eat as you normally would. Eating proteins and good fats (in moderation) before you know that you will indulge helps the body to avoid craving sugar and other processed carbohydrates.

4. Be mindful 

Take time to enjoy your meal, and focus on the smells, flavors, and colors of your food rather than on how hungry you think you are. Take deep breaths throughout the meal and take a minute to assess how much more you think you should eat without feeling glutenous in the end.

5. Balance

It is all about balance. If you want to indulge in that extra dinner roll or add ice cream to that slice of pie, just remember to keep the scales balanced. Before entering into the holiday season, create a plan to balance clean eating, working out, and indulging. That way if you overindulge, you won’t beat yourself up about it and know how you will get back on track.

6. Say No

Whether you are telling yourself no, or turning down an offer from someone else, learn how to say no. Don’t allow yourself to give in to peer pressure. By saying no to things, you are able to keep your healthy eating goals and workout goals a priority. You are also finding more balance between indulging and your goals (see step 5) and won’t feel guilty when you do decide to indulge during the holidays.

7. It’s not just about the food 

Don’t center your holiday season around food. Instead center your holidays around the people that you will be spending your time with, expressing gratitude, and being mindful. Without an emphasis on food, you are less likely to overindulge.

8. Add in some vegetables 

If you want the feeling of being full, but don’t really want to end up in a food coma, add in some vegetables. Vegetables are a great way to add volume to your plate while filling you with water fiber and nutrients. They also feel lighter than some of the other classic holiday dishes, so you won’t feel as guilty after the fact.

9. Get some exercise

Exercise is an important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle, and with all of the chaos of the holidays, it is often forgot about. But even though it is an afterthought, try and sneak in a few minutes of exercise a day. This could be a full-blown gym workout to a 15-minute walk around the neighborhood.

10. Avoid fillers 

Parties usually have different types of appetizers. Veggie trays and cheese boards seem to be staples at my family gatherings. But associated with them is often empty carbs in the form of crackers and breads along with unhealthy dips that blow your plan out of the water. If you must have an appetizer, try to substitute unhealthy dips for healthy options like hummus or salsas. Also try to avoid the crackers and breads so you save room for your other favorite foods being served later on. A good start is always a simple salad, so you know you are getting high nutrients in your meal before indulging later.

11. Get rest

Researchers have concluded that people who sleep less the night before a big party or holiday celebration tend to eat an extra 300-500 calories more than their well-rested counterparts. So, get some rest and enjoy the holiday season. 

12. Don’t beat yourself up 

It is the holidays. It is likely that you will indulge in that slice of pumpkin pie. If you just so happen to overindulge, don’t beat yourself up about it. It is easy to feel guilty about overindulging, but you need to only recognize when you do so, and then start getting back on the path that makes you feel good.

Now that we have some general guidelines to help us navigate the food heavy holiday season, it’s time to go out and spend time with the people who matter the most to us. If all else fails, and we forget some of the guidelines, let’s take it back to the basics of living a healthy lifestyle: get sleep, drink water, and eat your fruits and veggies. But most importantly this holiday season, enjoy yourself. Don’t get caught up in every calorie and indulgence or the number on the scale. Do what is best for you and your wants and needs and you will be just fine.

Happy Holidays from Carina here at Carina’s Cocina! If you have any suggestions for recipes, reviews, or tips and tricks that you want to see on the blog, feel free to leave a comment below!