6 Healthy Habits for the Holidays

The holidays are here! A very wonderful time of year to celebrate with family and friends and getting a much needed break from work. Unfortunately, the holidays can also bring on some added stress with traveling, last minute shopping, and endless amounts of social gatherings often involving a ton of food.

Having a plan going into the holidays can help you enjoy the season more while also staying on track with your health goals.

Here are 6 healthy habits to do (or continue doing) during the holiday season:

Don’t Skip Meals

We all know what happens if we go to the grocery store hungry... If you want to stay on track with your health goals, stick to your regular eating routine, and don’t “bank up calories” so you can indulge in the foods later that day and/or week. Instead of "saving room" for your meal, be sure to consume your typical meals around the social event meal. This will help avoid arriving too hungry and overeating to uncomfortably stuffed bellies.

Be Smart with Appetizers

Appetizers are exciting and delicious but can also be super easy to pop those mindless calories into your mouth when you get chatting with family or some old friends. Try grabbing a plate to eat off of rather than munching from communal platters and bowls. That way you are able to see your exact portions and you are aware of how many “seconds” you go for. You can also try to just locate your self away from the munchies so you’re not temped to keep reaching over for more.  

Examine All the Food Options First

It’s often not what you’re eating but how much you eat that leads to the overindulgence. Take a look at everything first, make sure you see all your options and make a balanced plate. Fill half your plate with vegetables + fruit, a quarter of it with starchy carbohydrates (mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes...), and a quarter of it with a protein source (turkey, ham, chicken...). Also, try to make it as colourful as you can to increase the amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Enjoy all your favourite dishes, don't waste room on your plate for a food that isn't your favourite.

It's absolutely fine to indulge in dessert. I recommend choosing your favourite one instead of all of them. It's also okay to say no to dessert if you are full (even if grandma is insisting)!

Make Simple Swaps

There are many ways to reduce saturated fat, sugar and excess calories without taking away tradition. Here are some common swaps:

If a recipe calls for white flour, use half the amount in whole wheat flour to boost fibre and nutrients

Instead of using sour cream on your potatoes, use plain low fat greek yogurt.

When making a cream based soup, instead of using heavy cream, try coconut milk

If baking, bake with half the white sugar or use natural sweeteners like banana or apple sauce.

Choose white meat instead of dark meat.

Choose whole wheat dinner rolls instead of white.

Watch You’re High Calorie Drinks

Calories can add up quickly with the seasonal beverages and not to mention, the extra empty calories they have if there’s alcohol in them. Rather than restricting yourself completely, try choosing the lower calorie options such as lower fat eggnogs, virgin caesars, sparkling water with lime, or cranberry juice spritzers. If you are drinking alcohol, be mindful of how much you are drinking.

Recommended limits for women are 2 drinks/d, or 10 drinks/wk or 3 drinks/special occasion.

Recommended limits for men are 3 drinks/d, or 15 drinks/wk or 4 drinks/special occasion.

On top of additional caloric intake, excessive consumption of these drinks can increase inflammation and potentially weaken immune function.

Move and stay active!

Staying active as a priority around the holidays is not only good for overall mental and physical health, it can also help balance out those extra calories. Maybe you can convince your family of a new tradition like taking a nature hike or going to a local rink for some skating. Other benefits to exercise include its ability to decrease stress, improve your quality of sleep, and increase your quality of life. I hope this helps with your upcoming gatherings and that you have stress-free, happy holidays :) 

References:

Berardi J., Precision Nutrition; Don’t eat the Christmas cookies! (And other dietary nonsense.). Available from: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/christmas-cookies

Government of Canada; Healthy eating for holidays and events. Available from: https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/tips-for-healthy-eating/holidays-and-events/#a1

Government of Canada; Low Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines. Available from: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/substance-use/alcohol/low-risk-alcohol-drinking-guidelines.html

UnlockFood.ca; Happy Healthy Holidays. Available from: https://www.unlockfood.ca/en/Articles/Holidays-Celebrations/Happy-healthy-holidays.aspx