Keeping up with your healthy eating plans can be challenging during the holidays. With so many temptations this time of year at the office, at home and while out at restaurants it can be easy to let healthy eating habits slide. The following tips can help you navigate the holiday season and stay on track. Get a head start for 2018 and end 2017 on a positive note.
Keep a healthy snack supply with you at the office
Quill.com’s newest post offers strategies to help you stick to your diet with 5 tips despite all the holiday treat temptations at the office. Keep a supply of healthy snacks in your desk drawer to grab when you truly are hungry. If you have a variety of options that will satisfy different cravings, those other, calorie-heaving treats will seem less appealing. Stock up on some healthy work snacks including something salty, something sweet, and something savory.
Fruit cups, trail mixes, and nuts are great. If you can, combine nutrients in a balanced way that makes you feel full for longer. Think protein bars with a piece of fruit. If your office has a fridge, you can spring for a combo like Greek yogurt with berries or even a spring salad with chicken breast. If you love to DIY your snacks, try making your own energy balls. Pinterest has some great recipes here.
When you’re tempted to grab those holiday treats in the break room, head over to your snack drawer or fridge and make a healthier choice. Better yet, see if your office can use a service to get healthy options like Aramark office snacks.
Take your time
Life seems to always be busy and rushed. Including meal times. We tend to scoff down food as if it is going to disappear withing minutes. It take approximately 20 minutes for the brain to register that you are eating and full. Slow down and enjoy the food that you are eating. Stay mindful and in the moment while eating. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the smell, taste, and texture of each item. This will help prevent overeating.
Eat a healthy snack before going out
Eat regular meals and snacks before going to a party. That way, you won’t arrive starving and you’ll be less tempted to overindulge.
If you are at a buffet scope out your options and make only one trip to the buffet table. Instead of eating a bit of everything, choose the foods you really want, and keep the portions small. Add some color (vegetables and fruits) to your choices too.
Use smaller plates and utensils
Try using a salad or dessert plate for the main course and a teaspoon to serve yourself. What looks like a normal portion on a 12-inch plate or a large bowl can, in fact, be significantly huge. In one study conducted at the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, even nutrition experts served themselves 31 percent more ice cream when using over sized bowls compared with smaller bowls. The size of the serving utensil mattered, too: Subjects served themselves 57 percent more when they used a three-ounce scoop versus a smaller scoop.
Look for opportunities to be more active
Keep the inevitable indulgences in check by staying active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Enjoy some winter sports for a change of pace, or schedule in a quick walk or workout before you head to the next party.
Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself of you slip.
As mentioned in Quill.com’s newest blog post. If you do indulge (or over indulge), don’t dwell on it all day—it won’t make you feel any better. The holidays are a time for love, acceptance, and grace. You can reflect and come up with any changes you want to make to improve your resolve for next time, but then move on. Our physical health and our mental health go hand in hand.
Happy Holidays!
Photo Credit: Pixabay
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