10 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season
Updated: Nov 25
(Inspired by the Mayo Clinic)
It's the most wonderful (and most delicious!) time of the year!
The time between Halloween and New Years is a time of sweet moments and sweet, savory, and downright sinful foods and treats. So how do we get the most joy out of this holiday season without needing our most forgiving clothes too?
If followed even half the time, this list of 10 tips for a healthy holiday season (inspired by the Mayo Clinic), will help support a healthy lifestyle and avoid holiday weight gain, while still promoting the enjoyment of delicious food with dear friends and family.
1. Treat the holiday as one day... Not a whole week or a whole month! One day isn't going to make or break anything wellness-wise! If you have several celebrations and parties over the next few weeks, here are nine more tips:
2. Don't skip meals. Skipping a meal to “save calories” prior to a holiday event can backfire and lead to overeating. Instead, make sure to get enough protein and water throughout the day.
3. Contribute a healthy dish. Ensure at least one nutritious choice is available at potlucks by contributing your favorite healthy dish. Others will be grateful too!
4. Choose your splurges/Savor seasonal treats. Scan the buffet or dinner table and choose a couple holiday favorites to splurge on instead of choosing foods that you can have any other day of the year. Then, really savor and enjoy those special, seasonal treats!
5. Think Color. Make a plate look festive by including lots of fruits and veggies.
6. Choose drinks wisely. Alcoholic beverages provide empty calories and can cause us to make poor judgements with food. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation with water or tea. Plus, you'll feel better (not hungover!) if you have consecutive gatherings.
7. Visit the people, not the food. Move socializing away from the buffet or appetizer table to prevent mindless eating. Sitting with your plate and connecting in between small, manageable bites beats uncomfortably standing, mindlessly grazing, and talking over a table of food any day!
8. Politely say no to food pushers. (And please don't be one!)
9. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. No one likes that stuffed feeling after a meal. Eat slowly and check your fullness levels while you're eating. There are always leftovers!
10. Don't feel guilty! If you do overindulge, don't beat yourself up. Re-commit to your healthy lifestyle the next day!
Whether you follow this list to a T and then some, you follow it half the time, or you commit to following a few items at every holiday gathering this year, you should be proud of your level of commitment to your health this holiday season. Food brings us together; it's meant to be enjoyed! These 10 healthy holiday tips will help you focus on the joy of food and the joy of your relationships, rather than on (yet another) new years resolution of weight loss. Happy (healthy!) holidays. :)
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