With so many events, parties, dinners, and get-togethers on many of our schedules during the holidays, trying to maintain a healthy diet can become difficult. It can be a challenge to find the right balance between the spreads of delicious Christmas dinners, sweets, and snacks and eating in a health-conscious way.
Celebrating the holidays doesn’t have to take a toll on your diet, health, or fun. With a little mindfulness in your eating practices and habits, you can enjoy your holidays without straining your health or packing on the pounds.
Portions and Food Groups
Even during big meals with a wide selection of our favorite holiday dishes, it can be easy to control your food intake if you keep in mind some of the nutrition rules that we use every day to eat healthy. Control the portions of the food you eat – especially when there is a wider selection of dishes you want to sample in a meal. Consider keeping yourself to a single serving – not going back for seconds – or using a smaller plate to keep your food consumption in-check without feeling like you’re sacrificing the holiday experience.
Sticking to the basic food groups is another important way to make sure that we are giving our bodies the important nutrients they need even while enjoying big meals. Remember to eat a balance of fruits and vegetables along with your protein sources and grain products in order to keep your body fuelled.
What’s In Your Food?
There are usually so many delicious choices on the table at this time of year that it’s easy to lose focus of what’s healthy or not. Remember that while everything might be absolutely delicious, some of it might be better for you than other options.
While you might not need to avoid unhealthy options entirely – you should still enjoy your holidays – it’s useful to keep in mind what goes into your food when you’re choosing portion sizes. For example, you might want to take more of simple vegetable dishes that feature the vegetable without much embellishment compared to other dishes that use lots of butter, cheese, or carbohydrates. It’s also wise to choose sweets with healthy ingredients, like fruits, over those that have tons of added sugar.
Other Holiday Indulgences
For many people, the holidays are about enjoying drinks with friends and family as much as they are about celebrating with large meals. While drinking can certainly be a fun way to celebrate, keep in mind that alcohol not only carries quite a few calories per drink, but getting intoxicated can be hard on your body, too. As with everything, moderation is key when you want to enjoy holiday festivities while keeping an eye on your health.
Healthy Holiday Activities
Keeping an eye on your health during the holidays doesn’t just have to be about saying “no” to unhealthy things, it can be about adding healthy activities to your holiday agenda, too! In the winter, we have lots of healthy exercise and outdoor options to take part in with friends and family. Add something fun and active, like snowshoeing or skiing, to your schedule during the holidays to spend some quality time with loved ones and add some healthy benefits for everyone!
The holidays can be a stressful time of year, but they are mostly meant to be enjoyed with the people that you care about around you. This year, look after your health during the holidays as the ultimate gift to those you love – but without missing out on the best that the season has to offer.