How to Enjoy the Holidays Without Sacrificing Your Health

While we should all be enjoying this wonderful time of year, it is equally important to enjoy it in a way that we aren’t sacrificing our health and packing on the pounds. Holidays are a time when we are most likely to toss out all our good habits, gain weight, get bloated and feel unproductive. No matter where my clients are from, whether I am coaching them locally or a thousand miles away, one topic invariably comes up at some point during the course of our treatment: the holidays. This time of year, celebrations and family gatherings are usually focused around food, and it’s typically the kind of food that veers us off the path of health, causes weight gain, and generally makes us feel bloated and a little hungover (from food and alcohol) the next day.

But who says the holidays need to involve gluttonous binging and harmful food choices? Not me! We can use these festive meals for both togetherness and good medicine. Let’s navigate through your celebrations in a way that can leave you feeling satiated, proud, and better the next day!. Let the days of post holiday regret be a thing of the past!

Of course, a holiday meal is not different from any other meal in that it is an opportunity to either create health or destroy some of it. This holiday season you can choose to navigate a healthy way through the fun celebrations – and still have fun while doing it!

Tips For Staying Healthy During The Holidays

1. SPOIL YOUR APPETITE

If you’re going to a holiday party where you don’t exactly know what the hosts will be serving, or you know it won’t be on your list of good food choices, have a healthy snack before you go. Taking the edge off hunger will help you to make more rational, healthier choices at the holiday party. If you go in hungry, you are more likely to binge and eat whatever you can get your hands on.

2. KEEP YOUR HANDS OUT OF THE SNACK BOWL

Bowls of homemade candies, peanuts, and other grab-a-handful snack foods are common at holiday parties. While it may feel instinctive for you to grab some of these festive treats, these snacks are best left alone. They typically contain inflammatory oils, like canola or soybean, white sugar and inflammatory grains, like wheat. Inflammation is not festive, so keep scanning the food table for a better choice.

3. VEG OUT

Since most holiday gatherings offer some vegetables, possibly some fruit, and often some meat, keep it simple by filling up on these nutrient-dense and delicious foods. Less bloat, less guilt and oodles of nutrients!

4. BRING YOUR OWN TREAT

I’ve gotten in the habit of doing this for almost every event or party I am invited to. My friends joke that I am the best guest to have over because they don’t have to prepare anything. If I bring my own treat to the party then I feel less inclined to eat the less healthy options on the table and I feel like an unbloated champion at the end of the evening. To boot, you can show your friends that eating healthy can also be just as delicious.

5. JUST SAY NO TO SUGARY HOLIDAY DRINKS

The sugary holiday lattes, mulled wines, eggnogs and hot cocoas are usually packed with inflammatory calories and sugar. Opt for making your own instead of drinking the pre-packaged, mass produced options. They taste way better and your body will love you for it.

6. LAY OFF THE SAUCE

People like to drizzle sauces on their appetizers or include them for dipping everything from meat to chips to fruit in, but who knows what ingredients are in those fancy sauces? In many cases, it is wheat flour, vegetable oils and refined sugar, so rather than risk an inflammatory boost, skip the sauce.

7. PRE-LOAD WITH NATURAL MEDICINES

If you know you may end up eating something that doesn’t agree with you, try taking digestive enzymes, probiotics, and anti-inflammatory nutrients like turmeric before the party. While these are not a license to eat everything in sight, they may help soften the blow.

8. DON’T BE AFRAID TO SAY “NO THANK YOU”

It’s always okay to politely decline something you don’t want, don’t like, or know you shouldn’t have. Sure, some of those people in your life may equate love with food or pressure you to try “just one,” but really, has anyone’s day ever been ruined because someone turned down a cookie or drink? I don’t think so. Seconds later they will have forgotten, but you can feel good about your resolve for hours. 

9. IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

What if, instead of worrying about what you are going to eat, you focus instead on relaxing and enjoying the good time with your family and friends? It doesn’t have to be all about the food. Remember stress isn’t good for your health, either, and healthy eating needn’t be a source of anxiety. Make a conscious effort and logical choices where you can, then relax and enjoy yourself. I will often eat ahead of time if I know where I am going might not have healthy options. Remember, food is only part of any gathering—the real point of getting together is the community element of enjoying your friends and family.  

10. WATCH OUT FOR THE CALORIE DENSE COCKTAILS

There’s no doubt that alcohol can be inflammatory, specifically due to the burden it puts on your liver and digestive system. To indulge more responsibly, look for cocktails without sugary syrups. The least inflammatory alcohols are grain-free options such as hard cider, tequila, vodka, brandy, cognac, rum, and natural wines. In fact, a glass of natural red wine has been shown to decrease inflammatory CRP, so enjoy yourself, just don’t go overboard.  

11. KEEP IT MOVING

With our busy schedules, it can be tempting to put self-care activities like exercising on the back burner. However, exercising is essential for keeping inflammation at bay. Besides, the stress-relieving qualities can help you keep your cool, even at the most challenging of get-togethers. 

12. SPICE IT UP

Turmeric is a spice well known in the wellness world for its next-level inflammation-fighting abilities. Curcumin is the compound found in turmeric that is responsible for its ability to down-regulate inflammation. Cooking with turmeric is a great way to incorporate this anti-inflammatory action into your wellness routine, but taking a supplement around the holidays can be even more effective for a higher potency dose of those anti-inflammatory capabilities. Look for a supplement that contains piperine, since it can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by 2,000 percent, and aim for a dose of about 1 gram per day. 

13. RECALIBRATE YOUR GUT

Your gastrointestinal tract, including the microbes living inside your gut, are a foundation of your health. Inflammation can compromise your gut lining, which can lead to chronic problems. Probiotic supplements deliver beneficial bacteria to your microbiome for gut healing, so arming yourself with probiotics during the holiday season can ensure your gut has the best possible chance at thriving and fighting inflammation from the foods you are eating. Look for probiotics with at least 10 billion CFUs, that contain Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains. These are the good bacteria that have specifically been shown to decrease inflammation.