Whether you are someone who already practices a healthy lifestyle or are new to it, Holiday meals and social gatherings can be a difficult time. Here is my Do's & Don'ts to surviving the Holidays Feasts!
Do:
Enjoy time with family. When we are busy talking and reconnecting we are less likely to overindulge. If things start to get less interesting, get a game or activity started. Keep busy and enjoy this quality time.
Offer to contribute when appropriate, with a dish that is healthy and do make enough to share.
Fill up on healthy foods before attending social gatherings where food is being served. Healthy foods are packed with micro and macro nutrients and this should help your body feel satisfied and not hungry, this will minimize the amount of food you will eat or prevent you from going for seconds.
Drink lots of water. It will help stem off cravings and prevents you from overindulging in other unhealthy beverages.
Offer to host. Sometimes it's easier when you are entirely in control of what is being served up.... especially if you are into hosting large events. This is a great lead by example project, be sure to have recipes printed out to hand out. (See Don't Lecture)
Teach children (age appropriate of course) to ask you before eating anything that is on display or offered to them. This is very important if your child has a dietary restriction for health reasons. It is very important to teach them from a very early age to take responsibility for enquiring about food and not depending on others to cater to them.
Do lead by example, you don't have to say anything about your food choices. Your healthy appearance will explain it all.
Enjoy yourself, special occasions are living moments. Having treats are fine during special occasions as long as we remember quality & quantity and don't make special occasions out of everything. Dinner at your in-laws during a seasonal holiday is a special occasion, weekly Sunday dinners with your family is not.
Don't:
Over schedule your social outings during the holiday month. Depending on your belief system you may be celebrating several special occasions or re-celebrating with various groups and although I am all for having treats during special occasions these can add up. I also find that too many social gatherings in our already busy lives can cause undue stress for some and this can trigger emotional eating patterns. If you happen to be this individual, it's best to try and limit events and only attend the ones that are the most important to you or your family.
Limit your food intake or starve yourself all day before attending a dinner or social gathering with food, this is counterintuitive you will end up indulging more than you wouldhave had you eaten healthy throughout the day and just before leaving. Remember calories are balanced out throughout the week and eating healthy food beforehand helps with feeling satisfied and actually reduces the amount of food you will consume.
Forget to ask if you are hosting well in advance if any of your guest have allergies or sensitivities and plan a few safe dishes and be sure to not cross contaminate.
Offer food to little one's that are not yours. Ask their parent's permission, their children may have dietary restrictions for health or moral reasons.
Lose your cool if Granny gave little Sarah a cookie. Remember to educate children to ask before eating something.
Lecture. Educate by example. Making a big deal about the food being offered is not helping anyone, including yourself. This is your lifestyle and not everyone is on the same page. Just pass on the dish or say no thank you and fill up on healthy things. You don't need to explain to everyone present why you are passing up on certain foods. If you are however allergic to something or have a sensitivity to something quietly inform your host in advance and ask what is being served, the dinner table is not the place. If you are hosting, serving up delicious healthy food is way more effective than lecturing your guest.
Avoid social outings that involve food, that is red flag that there is more going on than wanting to live a healthy lifestyle. We can all enjoy less healthy foods on special occasions and live in the moment.
Dana Clark, CNHP, CHN, CHC, CLE
