Tis’ the season for indulgence!
Even though COVID-19 has drastically reduced or eliminated the usual holiday parties and get-togethers, there are still plenty of opportunities to make less than ideal decisions when it comes to food.
Here are a few strategies to help you avoid overindulgence and derailing your health goals over the coming weeks.
Mindful Indulgence
It’s helpful to have a plan in place. It may be a meal plan to help avoid making decisions with your stomach instead of your head, or it may be a plan to only enjoy a certain amount/kinds of food. Either way, being mindful of how you want to approach a situation in advance helps combat mindless consumption.
Eat Before You Greet
If you are going to be headed out to or hosting a gathering, a simple and effective strategy to avoid overindulging is to pre-eat. The idea here is to consume healthy nutrient-dense foods before heading out so you are less tempted to overeat or consume too many refined sweets and goodies.
Focus on Favourites
Often when we’re filling our plates, we feel the need to add a little bit of everything instead of focusing on just the foods we love leading to taking more than we need. Instead, this year zero in on the foods/treat that truly lights you up and leave the rest.
Savour The Season
As I touched on above, it’s okay to enjoy your holiday favourites. The key is to do so in moderation which can be difficult. Take time to savour the treats you do choose and eat them slowly, paying close attention to the flavours, the smells, and savour each bite of joy. When we slow down, we get more from our food and need less of it.
Give some of these a try this holiday season and don’t stress about the rest, after all, it is a time for celebration. Like the old axiom, focus on quality over quantity.
Healthy Holiday Recipe Book
With the holidays fast approaching I wanted to give you all a little gift. I’ve put together a small recipe book filled with healthy desserts and treat recipes to enjoy with your loved ones this season.
Have a healthy, happy Holiday Season!
-Donna Rivard, RHN