‘Tis the season to be jolly. Christmas is a time to slow down, be with loved ones, make memories and feel the magic and joy of the holiday season. Christmas time can be filled with feasts and treats. We are here to help you navigate this wonderful time of year in a healthy way. Making the most of this time of year is possible- you do not have to choose between being healthy or enjoying your holiday- there is a way to do both!
While the holidays can feel stressful and overwhelming– treats everywhere you look, dessert overload, leading to constant temptation to overindulge, rest assured. We have some healthy tips and tricks to help you move through your holiday in a healthy and stress-free manner- leading to a happier and healthier holiday season than you’ve ever had before.
3 Key Tips for Healthy Holidays This Season
1. Mindfully and intentionally choose when (and when not) to indulge.
Don’t feel like you need to eat every treat, every food, every snack, every single time. Be intentional about when you indulge in that extra treat or two. If your goal is to sustain your healthy goals, be extra mindful and intentional about the treats you decide to indulge in. Take a smaller portion, a single piece, etc. to not feel like you are missing out, but still staying on track for your goals.
2. Prioritize SLEEP.
More family around, many late nights, early mornings, and more stress surrounding the holidays can leave us neglecting our sleep. Sleep is one of the most important aspects to our overall health. Less sleep can lead to more hunger, cravings, less ability to regulate hunger and blood sugar, getting sick more often, more stress, and overall decreased well-being. Getting a minimum of 7 hours of quality sleep per night is a great way to enjoy healthy holidays.
3. Enjoy healthy holidays by making festivities about people and memories, not just food.
While many holiday festivities can feel like they revolve around food, they don’t have to. Make the celebration about the people you get to be with, the memories you get to make, and not just the food on the table. This mindset can be helpful if you are trying to control your sugar or calorie intake. While indulging in your favorite things is part of a healthy lifestyle, it doesn’t have to revolve only around food. Bringing a healthy snack, taking your own meal, or eating before you go are all easy ways to stick to your goals.
In addition to the tips above, here are some specific tips you can implement on Christmas Day.
Healthy Holidays: Tips for Christmas Day
1. Include movement in the day.
Make it a family affair! Take the family outside after morning present opening and cinnamon rolls for a walk or family game. This can be a great way to bond and spend quality time together, while also getting everyone outside for movement. Another tip is go for a walk after dinner. Walking for as little as even 5 minutes after meals can reduce blood glucose levels and improve digestion.
2. Hydrate.
Water, water, water! Staying hydrated is an easy and effective way to stay hydrated, keep a healthy immune system, promote healthy digestion, and help prevent overeating. You can even add fun fruit or berries to your water- add a festive glass and create an experience.
3. Build your holiday plate around veggies.
Before you grab the rolls and casseroles, fill half of your plate with salad or veggies. This is an easy way to add micronutrients to your meal, helping you get full and add fiber to your diet, leaving you less likely to overindulge. Bonus: eat your veggies FIRST. In addition to the benefits explained above, this also helps slow the release of glucose into your blood following the meal, causing the body to better regulate blood sugar levels, avoid energy crashes, and improve digestion.
4. Don’t forget protein.
It can be easy to forget about protein with all the yummy sides and treats around. If you are looking to stick to health goals, don’t neglect protein! Whether it’s the meat at dinner or eggs on Christmas morning, don’t forget about your protein! This will help keep you full while also increasing satiety, reducing the urge to overeat. Adding plain Greek yogurt to meals, or a protein shake prior to meals, are easy ways to sneak extra protein into your day. Pairing protein with any snacks or treats is also a helpful way to minimize blood sugar spikes and energy crashes.
5. Avoid skipping breakfast.
Eating a high protein breakfast has been shown to decrease hunger levels throughout the day as well as minimize cravings and control blood sugar levels. Eating protein first thing in the morning is a great way to maintain balance in your diet. Ensuring you are eating breakfast will also help you not become over hungry and over eat later in the day.
6. Bring (or cook) your own dish.
Cooking or preparing your own dish is an easy and fun way to control what you are consuming. If you aren’t sure if there are fruits or veggies where you are going- bring them! Build a fresh fruit or veggie tray, prepare roasted or steamed veggies, or throw together your favorite salad to bring to the festivities.
Healthy Holidays: Healthy Swaps to Implement in Your Holiday Cooking and Baking
Holiday Cooking:
– Use plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
– Choose sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes.
– Make roasted or steamed veggies instead of casseroles.
– Use olive oil instead of butter.
– Use maple syrup instead of marshmallows.
– Make mashed cauliflower instead of mashed potatoes.
– Eat whole grain bread instead of white bread.
– Opt for low fat or nonfat milk instead of whole milk or cream.
– Use nutritional yeast instead of cheese.
Holiday Baking:
– Use applesauce, banana, or avocado instead of butter oil or cream.
– Choose nut milk instead of whole milk or cream.
– Opt for natural maple syrup, agave, or honey instead of sugar.
– Use whole wheat flour instead of white flour.
– Include dark chocolate instead of regular chocolate.
– Use powdered peanut butter instead of peanut butter.
– Add berries for extra sweetness and fiber.
Healthy Holidays: Key Takeaways
Whether you are wanting to stay strict to your health goals this Christmas or just need some guidance on how to move through the holiday season with balance and moderation, there is a way. You do not need to throw away all healthy habits to enjoy your holiday or throw away all favorite treats and meals to enjoy healthy holidays. By implementing some easy tips and tricks, staying hydrated, indulging in moderation and being aware of portion sizes and what you are putting on your plate, we hope that this Christmas is full of a lot of sweet memories, a few sweet treats, and so much love. If you have specific questions regarding your health journey or need individual nutrition guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out to our Registered Dietitians!
References:
- Buffey A, Herring M, Langley C, Donnelly A, Carson B. The acute effects of interrupting prolonged sitting time in adults with standing and light-intensity walking on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine. 2022;52(8):1765-1787. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4
- Leidy HJ, Hoertel HA, Douglas SM, Higgins KA, Shafer RS. A high‐protein breakfast prevents body fat gain, through reductions in daily intake and hunger, in “Breakfast skipping” adolescents. Obesity. 2015;23(9):1761-1764. doi:10.1002/oby.2118
- Jeong JN. Effect of pre-meal water consumption on energy intake and satiety in non-obese young adults. Clinical Nutrition Research. 2018;7(4):291. doi:10.7762/cnr.2018.7.4.291
