Include Healthier Options In Your Holiday Favorites
Make sure that there are a variety of food groups in your holiday spread. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and lean meats can easily be added into traditional Christmas dishes for extra flavor and a healthier option.
Limit Your Salt and Sugar Intake
Sweets, sugar-sweetened beverages, and canned foods are some of the staples of holiday cuisine. In order to limit your intake of these excess salts and sugars, be sure to do the following: drink plenty of water, consume less alcohol, and rinse off any canned foods before using to discard the extra sodium.
Eat Reasonable Portions
Do your best to ensure that you are always serving yourself. But in case you simply can’t, remember that the old adage of needing to “clean your plate” was simply a parent’s way of getting their kids to eat their vegetables. There is no rule that says you must finish everything presented before you. If you can serve yourself and are eyeing a holiday favorite, remind yourself that you can always go back for more if you’re still hungry after your first serving.
Alternative Seasonings
Instead of immediately reaching for the salt and butter to season your food this holiday season, try using spices and herbs instead.
Never Go Hungry
Whether it be to a holiday party or a day-long shopping trip to the mall, make sure that your dietary needs are being met properly by preparing and eating healthy holiday snacks and meals at appropriate times of the day.
Smart Substitutions
Sometimes holiday favorites are simply a delicious concoction of 100% sugar, butter, and fatty goodness. However, instead of forgoing these foods entirely, consider making them with the alternative, healthier ingredients. When it comes to baking, unsweetened applesauce can replace butter in a 1:1 ratio. Try adding in sunflower or pumpkin seeds into a dish rather than bacon, or a selection of fruits and vegetables into your dressing.
Stay Active
Staying active doesn’t necessarily mean you’re in for some grueling marathon training. Instead, everyday holiday activities like cleaning, decorating, and shopping is actually considered to be light exercise. If you find yourself doing more physical daily activity during the holiday season, recognizing these actions as a part of your workout can be a great way to destress without feeling the need to skip your entire routine.
Eat the Healthier Options First
When it comes to a holiday buffet or spread, often times there will be a variety of choices. Pick out the healthy options to eat for your first serving to ensure that you’re getting the proper amount of nutrients in your diet before seeking out the less-healthy options. In addition, do your best to stay out of reaching distance of any easy to eat snacks.
Keep Track of What You Eat
It can be difficult to keep track of everything you’re doing and are needing to do during the holidays. If you have a notepad and pen on you, try quickly jotting down anything major you’ve eaten, or put tally marks under the headers of “candy”, “snacks”, “sugar beverages” everytime you consume one.
Bring Palette Cleansers
Palette cleaners such as mint or ice have a proven impact on helping to curb a person’s appetite. Once you’re done eating for the evening, try popping a mint to clean off your palette and curb any additional cravings that may form.
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