Eating Through the Holidays

Updated 11/14/2023

The holidays are upon us which often mean lots of high calorie options such as pecan pie, sweet potato casserole, and Christmas cookies. There may even be some foods you have been waiting to indulge in all year long. After all, stuffing is usually only served once a year right? With all of these temptations, how can you continue to stay on track with your weight loss goals?!

First off…I want to emphasize…don’t stress. The holidays are a time where we can relax with family and friends. If you didn’t stick with your goals, the important thing to remember is that tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh then.

But if you’re concerned about undoing everything you worked so hard to achieve, here are some tips to make it easier.

9 tips to help you eat through the holidays

• Focus on maintaining your weight, not losing. If you try to count your calories during a special occasion, you will drive yourself crazy! Take a day off. Your brain will thank you for it!
• Try to limit how often you get second helpings. It can take 15-20 minutes for your body to communicate to your brain that you’re full. Take a few minutes to catch up with your cousin or uncle before getting up from the table.
• When building your plate, make room for foods that are more nutrient-dense such as turkey, vegetable-based salads, and sweet potatoes.
• Use your hands. Aim for portions the size of half your fist.
• Drinking beer during the football game? Limit yourself to 1 or 2 beers.
• Volunteer to bring a side dish, appetizer, or dessert. This is your chance to bring something healthy such as a fruit platter as an appetizer before the meal or an apple crisp with oat topping for dessert. Check out my Pinterest page for some holiday recipe ideas!
• Grab some your family members and do an after meal walk. There are also many 5k races Thanksgiving morning where you can walk or run before the feast. If you don’t have to help with the meal, play some basketball or football outside before dinner.
• Don’t skip breakfast! Eat a light, balanced meal that morning. This can lead to binging on unhealthy foods and sometimes larger portions because you’re starving by the time lunch or dinner comes around.
• Enjoy your Christmas cookies. But to limit the amount in the house, cut recipes in half. Sometimes out of sight, out of mind is what works best when it comes to sweets.

What about low sodium options for blood pressure?

Focusing on vegetables is a great start, but that doesn’t need to be the only thing on your plate. By limiting portions, this can also lower your sodium intake. So if there’s a food that you absolutely can’t live without once a year, take a small portion of it.

As for the main course turkey or chicken will usually be a better option. It’s going to be hard finding a lower sodium option for ham though. And you might not have the option to choose if you’re not the one hosting for the holidays. Limit yourself to a small portion of about 3-4 oz. This is about the size of the palm of your hand. For 3 oz, ham contains about 800mg of sodium. Whereas, turkey has about 200mg for 4 oz.

What about lower saturated fat options for high cholesterol?

Again vegetables tend to be the star of the show here (unless we’re talking green beans with bacon). Side dishes that tend to be higher in saturated fat have a lot of cheese – looking at you baked mac and cheese! Or if you’re a midwest gal like me, corn casserole is up there too.

In addition to vegetables, include foods like cranberry sauce that contain lots of antioxidants, a whole wheat roll, and turkey breast (white meat) which is a leaner part of the bird.

How about low carbohydrate options for blood sugar?

Meats and, you guessed it, most vegetables contain little to no carbohydrates. So these are often good options to fill up on to keep blood sugar levels within your target range.

But what if you want to have dessert? What about those Christmas cookies you’ve been waiting all year to make? It’s perfectly ok to have them! Limit your portions to 1-2 cookies per day or 1/2 a slice of pumpkin pie. Make sure if you are having the cookies or pie as a snack, that you also include a protein to go with it. Nuts can be a good option in this case.

Remember…don’t stress out!

You will probably go over your calorie and nutrient goals just a little bit during this time and that’s ok! Throughout your health journey, you should be developing healthy habits. This means knowing how to eat during special occasions and enjoying time with friends and family without being stressed.

Use tomorrow as a new day to get back on track towards your goals and reminisce in new memories of family and friends.

Looking for more personalized advice to help you lose weight, manage blood sugar, and improve heart health? I have a program that can do just that called The MEDication Freedom Method. Schedule a free 30-minute video discovery call with me and let’s chat!