The Christmas season is my favourite. All of a sudden my calendar is filled with parties, open houses, dinners, and wine nights with friends. It’s a time when our smiles get brighter, our outfits get to glitter, and {unfortunately} our waistlines can get bigger. So think of this post as your holiday survival guide, helping you to navigate every festivity with enough wiggle room to enjoy yourself, but equipped with the tools to help you avoid that guilt from overindulging.
Use these five tips to set yourself up for success in the coming weeks:
-
Get rid of your “All or None” philosophy:
The idea that you can “save up” your indulgences and then go all out in one night will only set you up for failure when it comes to your health and nutrition journey. Applying this “last supper” mentality means that more often than not, you’re giving yourself the green light to overeat. Have you ever told yourself “tonight I’ll indulge in all the goodies and then tomorrow I’ll hit the gym, eat only organic, and do 20 burpees every hour on the hour”? Okay, maybe you’re not that dramatic but it does sound familiar, right? Don’t yo-yo between tight restriction and full-on overload, but rather focus on your body’s internal hunger cues and eat until you feel about 70% full. This way, you can try some of those appetizing morsels on the dessert tray without that blah feeling that comes with stuffing yourself.
-
Keep energy levels up during the day:
It’s so important to keep your body fueled throughout the day, especially if you have a holiday function in the evening. If you restrict your calories throughout the day, you’ll enter the party starving and it will be that much easier to overeat! Plus, who really wants to show up hangry? Make sure to eat a healthy breakfast and lunch with protein, fiber, and healthy fats as well as a mid-afternoon snack to keep energy levels up and blood sugars steady. A little trick of mine: when I’m preparing to head out to a dinner party or open house, I’ll snack on an apple with a little bit of peanut butter on my way out the door, so that I’m not starving when I arrive. This way I can spend time chatting with friends and catching up on stories instead of making a beeline for the buffet table.
-
You don’t need to sample everything:
I have a serious issue with buffets. It’s such a love/hate relationship. I love the variety and the endless possibilities for filling my plate, but that same variety and possibility means you’re that much more likely to overeat. The more variety we see, the more we indulge. It’s a researched fact and unfortunately one that can come back to bite us in the form of expanding waistlines. When you’re presented with endless food options, don’t go with the “just a little sample of everything” philosophy. Instead, fill up on leafy green salads on your first pass and look over all of your options. Then, once you’ve had some green goodness, pick one or two of the most appetizing items {in your opinion} and leave the rest.
-
You also don’t need to healthify everything:
One of my favourite things to do is find new ways to change recipes to give them a healthy twist, but some things are just better left untouched. For me, one of those things is pumpkin pie. Real, creamy, rich, pumpkin goodness. Over the holidays, I put a real emphasis on balance. That means that I’m still running and focusing on a plant-based diet, but I’m also eating pie. If you have that one sweet treat that you adore, don’t try and change the recipe to make it more health-conscious. Instead, really savour a moderate portion and enjoy your holidays! If it’s a once-a-year indulgence, let yourself savour the moment!
-
Put a secondary emphasis on food:
While it can seem that the holidays revolve around hors de oeuvres, turkey, wine, and desserts, don’t forget that the Christmas season is about spending time with loved ones and cherishing our time together. Take the focus away from the food: move the party out of the kitchen for a games night in the living room, or get outside and go ice skating together. Find activities that allow you to enjoy each other’s company without always being centered on a large meal. Enjoy your company, and let the food come second.
Enjoy this holiday season and make it merry and bright!
xo
Britney
Savour & Shine 