The holidays are not exactly “diet friendly.” Take, for example, the extravaganza-o-sugar currently gracing my desk, which includes, but isn’t limited to, two bags of rocky road popcorn, three bars of Mast Brother’s chocolate, one package of lego shaped chocolates, a bag of peanut brittle, and a half eaten box of (exceptionally good) cake balls. It’s a bad scene.
But never fear, our healthy living expert Holly Davis reminds us that as long as you keep things balanced, the occasional indulge (i.e. a cake ball or two), won’t sabotage your healthy eating efforts. Here are some of her go-to strategies for not going totally off the rails.
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By Holly Davis
We all want to indulge a bit this Holiday season without having it show up on the bathroom scale… but how? Follow these simple tips and you can have the best of both worldʼs… at least for a season.
- Always eat a small meal consisting mostly of lean protein before going out to a Holiday party, event, or dinner.
- Avoid mindless eating. Be purposeful and make sure what you eat is worth it.
- Load up on any salad and raw veggie options.
- Plan ahead. If headed out that evening, plan your lunch accordingly. Make it a large, fresh, green salad loaded with veggies. (I Love the Super Sprout Salad at Whole Foods.)
- Pace yourself through the evening with both food and drink.
- Control your portions by using a smaller plate.
- If drinking wine or alcohol, be mindful of the sugar and calorie content (the average glass of wine has about 150 calories). Decide, wine or dessert? If you want to indulge in both, have a few bites of your favorite dessert later with a cup of coffee.
- Skip the breads, crackers, cheese, and fried hors d’oeuvres.
- Keep a bag of USA Origin Organic Raw Almonds and/or Walnuts in the car at all times for quick, emergency protein.
- Make a good, delayed release probiotic part of your daily supplements to aid in digestion. It will also boost your immune system and help with “foggy brain” that commonly accompanies this time of year.
- Stay hydrated! Drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water (I love Penta Water). It will keep you hydrated, energized, and looking healthy (i.e. no one will know you were up until 2 a.m.).
- Get moving! Do some physical activity every day. Take the dog for a long walk in the park , go for a bike ride, hit the gym, do interval training…
- Hit the sauna and sweat it all out. It’s one of the best things you can do, as not only are you sweating out toxins in the dry sauna, but the steam also helps to humidify your lungs, which helps offset the dry winter air.
Most of all, keep a healthy perspective. Feed your body what it needs to thrive and have abundant energy to spread lots of holiday cheer this year! After all, isnʼt our health a great thing to celebrate?
XOXO,
Holly Pellham Davis
Holly Pellham Davis is the founder of Clean Fresh Living, Inc., a service focused on educating consumers and families on the importance of healthy, organic, sustainable living for life and generations to come. You can hear more from Holly on her Clean Fresh Living blog, twitter, and Facebook.
