How To Eat Healthier Over The Holiday Season

It is officially the start of the holiday season! From Thanksgiving all the way until New Year’s Eve, there are tons and tons of temptations that could derail you from your weight loss goals! Here are some tips on how to eat healthier during this holiday season. Even just by implementing one or two tips, you will decrease the amount of calories you are eating over the holiday season and in turn stay on track towards your weight loss goals.

1. Make sure half of your plate is covered with fruits and vegetables. This allows you to keep the calories you are consuming lower.
   Bring a healthy dish to all holiday parties to ensure that there is a healthy dish for you to eat.
2. Set limits for yourself depending on the plate size and food/drink options. I would recommend limiting your plate amounts to two smaller plates or one large plate. It is important to note that you should tell people about these limits so that they can help to hold you accountable when that extra slice of chocolate cake is calling your name.
3. To prevent overeating at a party, eat a light protein and fiber based snack beforehand. By not going to a party starving, you are less likely to fall victim to food cravings and overindulge.
4. If you are a big holiday baker, switch out some of your ingredients in your baked goods to healthier options such as applesauce instead of butter.

Genetically, our bodies want to conserve our energy because in prehistoric times, we were not guaranteed a meal every few hours. The next two tips focus on tapping into this genetic makeup in order to limit our food consumption.

1. Do not sit near the food displays. This proximity tends to cause you to eat more because it is easier to do so. Make it harder for yourself to pick at the food by standing further away.
2. Store all cookies in frosted containers so that you cannot see them. By not seeing the cookies, you are less likely to trigger a craving. Also make sure to store the cookies in places that are difficult to reach. Your body wants to conserve its energy so it will be less likely to follow a craving if the food that is being craved takes more effort to obtain and eat.

Try implementing at least one of these tips this holiday season. If you find that you are able to implement that tip easily, add another one. You CAN continue on your weight loss goals this holiday season, you just need to implement tips like these that fit your lifestyle and are easy to follow. I hope you and your family have a great holiday season!