Healthy Holiday Eating

Happy Thanksgiving! Now that the holiday season is in full swing, let’s make sure that your health is still part of the equation. With all of the celebrations, gatherings and food that come into play, it can be a challenge. That doesn’t mean that health has to go out the window. The average person puts on weight over the holidays. Gaining 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and year’s end is not uncommon. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can celebrate guilt-free and still enjoy yourself if you have a plan.

Change the way you think about food

Most of us associate sweets and other holiday favorites with comfort and a carefree feeling before we eat them. After we eat them, we remember that they are not the going to help us get the health results we want.

Tip: Focus on the other aspects of the season like the family, friends and enjoyable conversation you can have. Food may be around, but you don’t have to eat it all. If you are talking more, you can eat less.

Eat well the rest of the day

If you keep yourself on track by eating healthy then avoiding the candy and desserts is easier because you will not be hungry.

Tip: Make sure that your meals and snacks are healthy on the day of parties. That way you know that there is room for some goodies as a reward for the good day you put together.

Only buy/bring the treats that you don’t like

What may be tough for someone to resist may not be too hard for you to resist.

Tip: You can control the menu if you host events and you can bring any items you want when there is a potluck or dish-passing event. Bring healthier versions or things you know you won’t eat

Decide what you want to eat ahead of time

Look at the options available to you. Do you have a favorite? If so, why eat all the other stuff just because it’s there?

Tip: pick a treat and enjoy a reasonable amount of it. Sit down and eat it deliberately. When you are done, you can look back and remember you enjoyed it rather than the mindless eating that can go on all day.
Thanksgiving is underway, but there are many more gatherings to follow. You can use them as opportunities to gain weight or to solidify your game-plan. It’s up to you.