Healthy Holidays

‘Tis the season of temptation!  Parties, open houses, dinners and all manner of festivities fill our calendars at this time of year. We are bombarded by baked treats, spreads of bite sized savories & nibbles, and epic buffet feasts.  It can feel impossibly challenging to stick with your healthy, clean eating routine when faced with so much edible cheer.

It may be too much to expect to lose weight through December and into the New Year, but the holidays should not be reason to slide out of our new good habits and pack on extra pounds. A good motto to adopt for the season:   Maintain Don’t Gain!

But how you say?  Here are 9 tips to keep healthy yet still partake in all the merriment:

1.  Be prepared

If you’re hungry when faced with a temptation, it’s much MUCH more difficult to say no. Keep healthy snacks on hand when you’re at work and out & about so that you avoid getting into a low blood sugar situation. No-one makes great eating decisions when they’re starving.

2.  Moderation

Denial is too much like dieting, so I don’t believe that anyone should have to entirely stop eating what they really enjoy. When you’re presented with a platter of something you absolutely love then have a little. Enjoy the flavours and really savour the experience of having a portion. A bite CAN be enough if you decide it is.

3.  Bring the health

If you’re going to a potluck then make something really healthy and scrumptious, so that at least you know that there will be one thing on the buffet table that you can fill up on.

4.  Snack before you go

Arriving at a party really hungry is a recipe for disaster!  Have a portion of Isalean shake or a healthy snack before you go. That way you’re not relying on the buffet to fill you up and you can selectively snack.  As a bonus, the enzymes in the shake will help your digestive system with any of the treats you may partake in.

5.  Choose wisely

Certain foods you’ll encounter on a party spread are obviously less than stellar choices.  Anything wrapped in phyllo or bacon for starters.  Add to that… cheese, most crackers, sausage, mini quiches, chips, most dips and sauces. Instead, go for the veggie platter, hummus, guacamole, salsa, shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, kebobs sans sauce, olives, fruit.  If you must indulge in a little cheese, pair it with a piece of apple or cucumber instead of the high fat crackers. At a dinner buffet, fill the majority of your plate with salads, veggies and turkey breast. Easy on the stuffing and gravy!

6.  Know when to stop

It’s easy to nibble mindlessly when you’re socializing. But most of the time you will find you’re eating simply because it’s there and not because you’re still hungry or really enjoying it. Step away from the buffet!  One simple trick I use is to pop a piece of gum in my mouth – just make sure it’s a non-toxic brand such as Spry.

7.  Avoid drinking excess calories

Drink plenty of plain or sparkling water at parties. When you’re inclined to imbibe, have one of these better options… red wine, clear spirits with soda water or tonic, Caesar or Bloody Mary.  Avoid cocktails with pop, diet pop, juice and cream. Egg nog is trouble, nothing more can be said about that!

8. Maintain your routine

As much as possible, stick to your healthy daily habits.  Eat clean at home and continue with your daily exercise. Don’t allow unhealthy treats in the house – if you don’t have them, you can’t eat them! Bake your own clean cookies and bars to have on hand.  Do your best the majority of the time, and then when the time comes to celebrate you can indulge a little and thoroughly enjoy yourself.

9.  Keep your eye on the prize

Do you want to feel and look your best, and be vibrantly healthy every single day?  Certain foods simply do not contribute to this vision. Keep this in mind when making choices – most of the time the fleeting moment of gratification when tasting something is simply not worth the way it’s going to make your body feel later. Once you’ve been clean eating for a time, you will find your system will throw a tantrum if you introduce too much fat or sugar.

Wishing you an abundantly happy and healthy holiday!

In good health,
~kristi

© Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kristi Bellis and Bluleaf Living with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.