The most wonderful time of the year is almost upon us, and we’re all looking forward to Christmas decorations, festive meals, lots of parties, and quality holidays with friends and family. But the holiday season can be daunting for some, especially when it comes to food. If you’re determined to lean into the joy of the season and the delicious treats it brings without feeling “cheated” or neglecting your nutrition plan or weight goals, you’ll want to keep reading .
Ahead, we’ll share nutritionist-approved tips and tricks for eating happily and mindfully during the holiday season.
7 Tips for Enjoying Holiday Meals
1. Identify your goals
First, figure out what your overall goals are for your vacation. If you want to follow a nutrition plan that works for you, lose weight, save money on eating out, cut back on alcohol, or anything else, it’s important to focus on it and pinpoint the reasons behind it. is.
For example, it can help you lose weight by keeping blood sugar levels in check, promoting a healthy metabolism, maintaining energy, and suppressing your appetite. A great way to support this is to incorporate HUM’s Best of Berberine supplement into your holiday routine for healthy blood sugar levels and weight management. Or maybe you’re just sober curious about whether alcohol can derail your fitness goals, interfere with your sleep quality, or even leave you with a bad hangover when you wake up.
According to Charleston, South Carolina-based nutritionist Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LD, CLEC, focusing on “why” provides the foundation for establishing new habits and staying motivated. It looks like it will be built.
2. Establish habits to achieve your goals
Once you’re clear about your goals and why, it’s time to create new habits and set yourself up for success.
“Building new habits can be difficult, but creative strategies can help you overcome obstacles in your path,” says Manaker. “First, identify the specific hurdles you encounter and turn them into opportunities for growth.”
Piggybacking off of the weight loss example above, perhaps the next hurdles are:
Complete Party Lineup Don’t Want to Miss Out on Your Favorite Holiday Foods Eat to Make Stressful and Lonely Holidays Comfortable
Once you’ve identified any obstacles or patterns, you can get into planning mode.
You don’t have to ruin everything, but you can find small but important ways to overcome these hurdles. For example, if you know that you eat when you feel stressed or irritated, develop new coping strategies, such as practicing yoga, calling a friend, or doing guided meditation. Please aim for that.
If you don’t want to skip that much-awaited celebratory food, don’t. Instead, Amy Shapiro, MSc, RD, a New York City-based nutritionist, suggests creating a flexible daily or weekly plan instead of micromanaging every meal. . For example, if you know you have a big dinner coming up, you can aim to cook more balanced meals at home in the days before and after.
3. Find ways to be consistent
Manaker points out that doing a 180 on your habits can seem like a daunting task. That’s why she suggests starting slowly. “Embrace the concept of micro-habits by breaking down your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks and gradually building up new habits,” she advises.
She also recommends the concept of habit stacking, which incorporates new habits into existing habits. For those looking to stay healthy and in shape throughout the holiday season, this may require:
Take a few extra laps around the grocery store to get more steps Take a brisk walk after the main meal or washing dishes Eat fruit or dark chocolate, usually when choosing dessert
Need extra support to stick to your habits? “Set an alarm ( or reminders),” Manakar shares.
According to a 2023 review published in Nutrients magazine, these small tips and tricks can easily and effectively prevent weight gain during the holiday season.
4. Ask friends to help you stay on track
To tell you the truth, I’ve never been very good at self-discipline. But I’ve found that I’m much more likely to follow through with my goals and healthy habits when I establish an accountability structure with my friends.
Both nutritionists are also fans of this hack. “Gaining support from like-minded friends and a community can increase accountability and motivation,” says Manaker. “For example, if you decide to walk every other day, find a friend to walk with you on the same schedule every week.”
It’s okay if your friends have different goals. For example, I’ve had success creating a shared document where each person writes three goals for the week (e.g., walk 10,000 steps a day, eat out only once a week, or work out 4 times a week.) ). Each of us then reflects on our successes and obstacles, and sets new or improved goals for the week ahead. Such a process not only promotes commitment, mindfulness, and accountability, but also a built-in support system.
5. Plan ahead
As Shapiro mentioned earlier, planning ahead can help you succeed during the holiday season and beyond.
When meal planning for large dinners or other food-filled gatherings, she suggests:
Snack throughout the day or before a big event to manage hunger cues Look at the menu before going to a restaurant to know in advance if there are healthy options to promote good health , aim to reduce food intake about 2-3 hours before bedtime for better digestion and a better night’s rest.
6. Enjoy things that are truly fun.
“The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration, and food plays a central role in gatherings and festivities,” Manaker explains. “It’s important to take a balanced approach to navigate this period gracefully while still achieving your goals.”
This includes adhering to the 80/20 rule. That means following the script 80 percent of the time and cutting loose the other 20 percent. When it’s time to reward yourself, make sure you enjoy it to the fullest. Shapiro advises choosing carefully what’s worth eating (that is, what truly satisfies your taste buds), and Manaker recommends practicing mindful eating by savoring each bite slowly. There is.
7. Let go of deprivation and shame.
As you travel through the holiday season in a foodie’s paradise, remember that poverty is never the way to go and guilt is counterproductive. “Food is a pleasure for many people, and in extreme cases, deprivation can affect mental health,” warns Manakar.
Instead, it’s about finding a sense of balance: sustainable habits that allow for self-compassion and a little leeway. Reframe those decadent meals you perceived as “failures” or “failures” as moments worth enjoying. “When we allow these moments to turn into ‘events,’ it becomes a distraction,” Shapiro explains. After all, Thanksgiving and other winter holiday meals only come once a year. A handful of things won’t get in the way of your larger goals or healthy, consistent habits.
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As a side note, Shapiro believes that while maintaining your weight during the holidays is a success in itself, losing weight can be considered a bonus. Give yourself the gift of grace this holiday season. Of course, don’t forget the delicious food that will make your winter fun and bright.
