Ah, the holidays!
Unhealthy food options, food at every turn, the stress of family get togethers – sound familiar?
The holidays can wreak havoc on healthy eating intentions for families who have made positive changes. Here are some ways to tackle high-risk situations and maintain a healthy diet.
Don’t Show Up (too) Hungry!
Thinking of skipping meals to “save calories” for a holiday meal? Don’t.
This often backfires, leading to overeating by consuming a lot more calories than you would have if you had eaten earlier in the day. At the very least, have a small snack 1-2 hours before the holiday meal. Some good ideas are a low-fat Greek yogurt with fruit or an apple with peanut butter.
Visualize Your Priorities
You can eat your favorite foods on the holidays, but avoid eating so much that you feel miserable afterwards. Many people find they can eat a small helping of their favorite holiday dishes and have an enjoyable meal without guilt.
A smart holiday technique is to visualize ahead of time what foods may be offered. Prioritize your or your child’s favorite foods, and at mealtime, make sure to eat a small portion of those foods so you don’t feel deprived. This helps avoid the trap of loading your plate with foods you didn’t really want to eat anyway!
It’s OK If You Don’t Eat Everything
Remind your child (and yourself) that they don’t have to eat everything on their plate. Gone are the days when we need to feel guilty about leaving food uneaten if we’re full. Today’s focus is on achieving a healthy diet and lifestyle. Teach your child to take appropriate portions at first and not to finish if he is full.
Oh, No! Desserts
A healthy diet includes desserts – in moderation. If your family has the tradition of having a table full of desserts, have your child pick one or two favorites and help him serve himself a small portion of each. This will show him how to take responsibility for making healthy choices himself.
You don’t want to set up camp at the dessert table so that you can police what your children are eating, but you should be generally aware of how much they are eating so you can give them a gentle reminder if needed and they won’t treat the event as a free-for-all.
If you are hosting and other people are bringing dessert, provide suggestions for healthier options like fruit salad or dark chocolate. Limit the number of desserts served, offer one or two high-quality indulgences and some healthier options. People usually appreciate having healthier alternatives this time of year!
It’s helpful to go into holiday gatherings knowing that there will be a great deal of food and that a lot of it might be unhealthy! You can feel satisfied if you plan ahead of time, prioritize what’s important for you and your child, and take small portions of all of your favorites!
Do you need an accountability partner to help you maintain a healthy diet during the holidays? We’re here for you! Give us a call at (781) 608-8397.