DAY 2
THE BENEFITS OF EATING
HEALTHY DURING THE HOLIDAYS
On Day 1, I broke down the importance of having a holiday reboot. I also mentioned that it’d be easier to reboot and return to normal after the holidays are over by maintaining healthy food habits (and healthy habits in general), but there’s a lot more that I just have to share with you!
First, set out your meals for the week before your holiday so that there is less temptation in front of you when the holiday arrives. This means prepping any side dishes that require baking or roasting ahead of time and making sure there is enough food at home so that leftovers don't become tempting snacks later on.
Next, ensure you always have water with you. While the holidays are a time to eat, drink, and be merry, we don’t want to pile up on pounds by eating and drinking what’s not good for our bodies. Water helps you feel hydrated, full, and nourished.
Now, when it comes to the holidays, there are two different scenarios—one where you’re the host and one where you’re the guest. And being a guest makes it 100x harder to eat healthier at that holiday party.
If you’re the host, you can easily lighten up on the recipes (favorite recipes with healthier alternatives) and focus more on more nutritious foods like produce. But what about when you’re the guest, surrounded by yummy, unhealthy food?
Here are some tips that I swear by when attending someone else’s holiday party:
- Eat before you go
- Use a small plate (smaller portions)
- Start simple by eating primarily fruits/veggies that are available
- Wait 10 mins after you’ve consumed those fruits/veggies to see what else your body needs (if it needs anything at all)
- Limit or nix alcohol
- Eat mindfully and slowly
- Socialize away from the food
- Find other activities that don’t involve food
Yes, it can be tough to maintain healthy habits when at someone else’s holiday
party, but with these tips and solid effort on your part, you can do ANYTHING you
put your mind to!