3 Nutrition Tips for the Holidays
The holidays can be a fun time of year to consume foods we don’t usually have access to during other seasons.
This can also be difficult for some people who are beginners to nutrition tracking, struggle with impulse control or have had a trying relationship with food consumption during this time of year.
Today’s blog is centered around a BALANCED approach to the holidays.
The most important part I really want to drive home is taking a breath.
This is a GREAT opportunity to practice being in the “middle ground”. Being mindful of your choices without restricting or avoiding, but also without completely zoning out on goals or saying “screw it” for a period of time.
So I encourage you to look at this time of year through the filter of “Stop pressuring yourself to be perfect”.
Trust me, we can do both.
Tip 1: Food swaps!
I’m a big supporter of not having to “health-ify” everything.
I highly encourage consuming dishes as their original recipe.
The holidays can ALSO be the inspiration to look more in depth at the nutritional value of your food over all. So if you’re someone who enjoys finding “swaps” in recipes and seeing how they can increase the nutrient value of a meal without sacrificing taste and experience then these are for you!
Add vegetables to your meals: Brussels and green beans are a great place to start
Add fruits to your desserts: some fresh berries go well on pies and cheesecake!
Add whole grains to your casseroles or stuffing: adding quinoa or barley can improve the fiber and whole grain content of a dish
Tip 2: Match your goals and expectations
Do you want to be able to freely enjoy food?
Are you in a deficit period?
Do you want to track your food or not?
Do you want to hit all your numbers perfectly regardless of the holiday?
Ask yourself what your goal is.
Ask yourself what experience you’d like to have.
And then take the time to identify the actions that match those goals.
Set your expectations. Don’t want one thing but behave in a way that doesn’t support that. It’s ok to be honest with yourself and realistic about what you’d like to achieve.
Tip 3: REST
Look, I know the holidays are stressful.
There’s a lot of expectation, a lot of events, foods, gifts etc. And sometimes it’s stressful because we’re feeling more obligated to engage. This can lead to impulsive eating and drinking. IT HAPPENS.
And it’s ok.
Not everyone has a picture perfect holiday, especially in the world we’re experiencing today.
But let this serve as an invitation to you to take a step back, only commit to what you realistically can, and REST.
Reflect on the last year, look forward to the next. Eat good food.
Find the GLIMMERS in the winter days we’re in.
Your mentality and health surrounding food, family and friends is just as important as how much protein you eat each day.
So give yourself some space to slow down, rest and move in a less chaotic way.
Track if you want. Add things to your meals if you want. Move how you want. And don’t forget to breathe, drink plenty of water and get some rest.
Happy Holidays and happy eating!
Elise Howlett
Nutrition Coach
PNL1, CFL1, ACE-CPT
The PATH Rehab & Performance
