Being mindful about nutrition during holiday gatherings
The holidays can be stressful for a variety of reasons, but food shouldn’t be. If you’re being mindful about what you’re eating on daily basis for health, weight loss, diabetes management or another reason, your eating plan doesn’t have to go out the window on account of holiday parties. Rather, a little preparation and heading into the party with a plan will go a long way. Read on for 6 easy tips to help you prepare for a holiday party:
Choose a smaller plate: choose a dessert plate each time you are served part of the meal whether for appetizers, the main course, or desserts. When we’re eating these three courses over the course of a couple of hours, theres no reason to fill a jumbo plate full of food for the main course (or any other course for that matter). Rather pace yourself with smaller plates throughout the evening.
Keep your portion sizes closer to a “sample size:”: Along the same lines as the previous tip, when there is a large variety of foods offered over a variety of courses, don’t feel like you need to fill your plate with a “normal” sized portions. Rather, aim for smaller “sample size” portions like what you would find at Sam’s on the weekends. This way you can try the large variety of foods offered, but do not have to over stuff yourself.
Also of note, do not feel like you have to try everything. Even though your family member makes their “famous” dish every year, if you don’t like it, you have my permission to skip it. Just because a food is there, doesn’t mean you have to eat it.
Choose foods that are less processed: Choosing foods that are less processed will help limit the amount of added sugar and fat you’re consuming. It will also promote you eating more nutrient dense, satisfying and filling foods. By way of example, here are a couple items to choose:
baked turkey or ham over fried meats
maple glazed baked carrots over green bean casserole
fresh fruits from a charcuterie board rather than fruit salad
choose pumpkin pie made with fresh pumpkin rather than cookies or iced desserts
choose coffee or tea lightly sweetened with cream and/or sugar rather than a pop
Before heading for seconds, pause. Wait 5 minutes to assess whether you’re hungry or not: The food at the gathering certainly was delicious, but that isn’t a reason to overstuff yourself and feel sluggish later. Discuss with your friends and family someone bringing a set of take out containers so everyone can bring home the leftovers of their favorite items.
Take time to savor the food and the people around you: Engage in conversation with others around you and take small, savory bites in the process. If this proposal overwhelms you, spend time thinking about the conversation you can engage in beforehand. There are tons of list of questions, conversations starters and even games out there on this topic. On example would be “Questions for Humans” from Dr. John Delony, there’s even a holiday edition.
Don’t drink your calories, opt for water, coffee or tea; enjoy alcohol in moderation. Already mentioned in tip number three. The amount of added sugar we consume through drinks is honestly quite astounding. Being mindful about your drinks and finding suitable alternatives that do not have added sugar is a great idea.
I hope you found this list helpful. It’s by no means an exhaustive list, but a place to start. Do you have any additional tips?? Put your tips in the comments below. If you find yourself overwhelmed on the topic of nutrition, eating, health and/or holiday parties, no worries, I am here to help. You can book a free “discovery call” so we can discuss your concerns and whether working together would be a good idea. You can also contact me via any means convenient to you.
