Holiday Nutrition Survival Tips
Blog post by Janet Perry, Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant & Metabolic Balance Coach
The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy with family and friends, yet with all the temptations constantly available, it can be difficult to stick to healthy food choices.
Here are some tips to help you eat healthy during the holidays but also have fun and enjoy the festivities:
Don’t skip meals. Eat sensibly on the day of an event and you won't devour every offering at the party.
Stay hydrated. Staying hydrated will not only help prevent a hangover, it will help your waistline. To determine how much water you need, take your weight, divide in two, and this is approximately how many ounces of water you should drink daily. So for a 150 lb person, they should have about 75 ounces, which is about 2.5 litres.
Take your time at the feast. Eating slowly gives your body the time it needs for its fullness cues to work their magic.
Take a nutrient dense dish to a potluck, ensuring you have something healthy to indulge in.
If you're hosting a party, make sure you have lots of empty containers to send friends home with any leftovers, clearing space in your fridge for healthy foods.
No foods are actually on the naughty list, so enjoy the festive treats you really love, that might only be served at this time of the year, but do it in moderation.
Mimosas, mulled wine or a fun cocktail are a wonderful part of the holiday season and if you enjoy them you shouldn’t skip them. On top of your daily recommended intake, have an additional glass of water for each alcoholic beverage consumed.
The best way to manage alcohol consumption is by making sure you only drink alcohol with food. For those who have been following a Metabolic Balance plan you aren’t having alcohol very often, so go slowly, as you will likely absorb the alcohol quite quickly.
Beat the buffet at its own game. Pick your absolute favourites, keep in mind this isn’t necessarily about protecting your waistline, heavy foods with simple carbohydrates such as sauces, gravies, breads and pastries take a lot of energy to digest, and they could cause your belly to bloat, making you uncomfortable, as well as making you sleepy, thus unable to enjoy the rest of the party.
Stay active during the holidays: walking, stretching, yoga, ice skating, going to the gym etc.
Ditch guilt. If you overeat, enjoy and forget about it, then get back to eating healthy at your next meal.
If you’re looking for a nutritional reset in 2023, please set up a FREE 30 minute virtual consultation so we can discuss how Metabolic Balance can help you achieve your health and weight loss goals. Click here to book.
Happy Holidays!!