The holiday season can be great fun but also a great source for anxiety.
Eating can an important way to learn to strike a balance in the body's health and in life. Here are some tips to get through the holidays feeling healthy, and balanced.
- Be realistic. Do not expect to eat perfectly over the entire holiday season.
- Try not to go to parties too hungry. If you do, go straight to the vegetable platter and start there.
- Avoid eating sweets on an empty stomach. This can cause blood sugar to spike really high and crash really low which can lead to stronger and stronger sugar cravings.
- Decide before you go to an event how much you are going to eat. While at the event or party stick to low calorie vegetables, fruits and watch portions carefully.
- Say yes sometimes. Pick one or two events to just eat and drink as much as you want. Do not feel guilty about it and just enjoy. Make sure that you eat exactly what you really want. Feasting once in a while can be really great for the metabolism and the soul.
- Say no. Often poor eating habits come from having too much on our plates figuratively and metaphorically. Do not feel bad about saying no to events, obligations, family, friends, too many decorations, food, and anything else that makes the holidays too much to handle. Make a list of things you think that you need to get done, prioritize and then cut the list in half. Spreading yourself to thin makes you useless to everyone, especially your self.
- Ask for help. If you need help with eating habits, cleaning, or anything else, ask. No one can do everything. Delegate chores to family members, hire a helper, go to a support group and just let go of everything having to be perfect.
- Make your home a healthy eating zone on most days. Having healthy wholesome meals most days will help keep unwanted pounds from creeping on.
- Do not skip meals. It can be a tempting to think about skipping lunch because dinner is going to be big meal. It is a good idea to eat something small but never skip a meal. Not only can this trap cause you to over eat later, skipping meals can contribute to sugar cravings.
- Make some holiday traditions that do not revolve around food. Take a drive and look at Christmas lights, plan a holiday hike or neighborhood walk, and dance to holiday music.
- March it to the garbage. Declutter. Whether it is sweets, toys or junk it is important to get rid of stuff we do not really need. If you have to throw those extra cookies in the trash so they do not end up in your mouth, do it!
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