There will never be a perfect time to ‘diet’.
And Christmas certainly isn’t one.
Christmas IS the social event of the year!
And you can’t avoid this often-diet-derailing social environment, but you can navigate it with our Top 5 Holiday Survival Tips:
Eat slowly.
(And stop at “satisfied”, instead of “stuffed”). This strategy helps you avoid overeating. Not just because of physiology (it takes 15-20 min for your digestive system to let your brain know that you’re satisfied), but also psychology — when you slow down, “sense into”, and savor your food, you feel content with much less. This means you’ll eat less but enjoy what you’ve eaten more.
Stay on top of your workouts.
Exercise not only helps minimize weight gain, but helps relieve holiday stress.
Don’t drink your calories.
Be careful with beverages over the holidays. Whether it’s a hot chocolate or a hot toddy, most holiday beverages are full of calories and sugar and can induce overeating. Calories in drinks add up so quickly, whether alcoholic or not. It’s just not worth it. Water will be your best friend over the holidays.
Practice healthy holiday cooking.
Not all treats need to be packed with refined sugar and processed ingredients. If you’re a member of the Lunchbox, we have loads of recipes for your fixings and desserts in the Recipe Collections available on your Lunchbox webpage. (Another huge bonus to signing up!)
Take the focus off food.
Plan group activities with family and friends that aren’t all about food. Try playing games, tobogganing or going on a walking tour of decorated homes in your neighborhood. Not all socializing has to involve eating.
REMEMBER, there is strength in pairs and you definitely have me by your side to help navigate the holiday season! If you have any questions at all, drop them down below and I’ll make sure to get back to you!
Happy holidays!