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Happy holiday season! If you caught last month’s blog, you saw a few tips and tricks for eating healthy during the holiday season. I couldn’t fit all of my thoughts into one article, so here is “Healthy For The Holidays, Part 2!”
As I mentioned last month, this time of year is full of excitement, stress, and lots and lots of food. It seems that everywhere we turn, seasonal treats abound. On top of that is the fact that many of us experience stress this time of year which can lead to emotional eating. It’s no wonder people turn to New Year's resolutions after this season of consumption. However, you have nothing to fear this year. I have some great tips for you that can help you enter 2023 as happy and healthy as ever.
As a quick reminder, last month we talked about:
What to eat the day of a big holiday meal
How to navigate holiday parties
Ways to find balance when there are holiday treats around
If you didn’t get a chance to read it and want more info about these three habits, check out the last blog post "Healthy For The Holidays, Part 1."
This month, we are going to touch on a couple more topics related to healthy holiday eating:
Stress eating: We are in the emotional rollercoaster that is the holiday season. When we get stressed this time of year, it’s that much easier to grab treat foods since they’re everywhere we look. Stress eating is a much deeper conversation than we can get into here. However, here’s a tip to get you started this holiday season:
Think of 1-2 non-food activities that are stress relieving for you. Having these in mind can help you turn to these activities instead of relying on food to de-stress. Some ideas include lighting a candle, reading a book, going for a walk, calling a friend or family member, or taking a bubble bath. Breaking the stress eating habit can be tough and takes time, but having a back up plan is very helpful.
The perfect holiday plate: You may be familiar with the “Plate Method” that I have shared in the past. It is a visual depiction of what most of our meals should look like: ½ a plate of veggies, ¼ plate of carbs, and ¼ plate of protein. Take a look at the Plate Method below:
This is great for day to day meals, but for special holiday meals, this plate just won’t do. Many times, we have food at holiday meals that we only get just one time of the year and we want to enjoy and celebrate by eating them. Because of that, I’ve make tweaks to the Plate Method and have created the “Perfect Holiday Plate” for guidance on what to make your plate look like at holiday meals:
This plate encourages choosing healthy options (½ a plate of protein and veggies), while also allowing for a half of the plate to be filled with whatever you want. It’s ok to go a little overboard at the holiday meal; it’s not going to make or break your entire year of eating. Balance it out the next few days with healthy food choices, and you’ll have found the perfect balance between enjoying yourself and feeling healthy.
When it comes to health and nutrition, many people believe that January 1st is the best time to start a new diet. If you’re wanting to get a head start and would like some personalized guidance around getting healthy during the holidays (and into 2023), I’m here for you. Let’s get a head start!
As a dietitian and health coach, I help people simplify their nutrition and figure out a way of eating healthy that is easy to follow, personalized, and sustainable. I am currently accepting nutrition coaching clients for the winter. If you are interested in learning more, the first step is to sign up for a free initial nutrition session. To schedule your free session, click here.
I am also launching an online, self-paced course called “8 Steps to Healthy.” This course will help you create 8 healthy habits that are personalized, sustainable, and will help you feel your happiest and healthiest. No diets or deprivation necessary; just a commitment to taking things slow and steady with the promise of lasting results. If you’re interested in learning more about the course, please click here or email me at emilyrd@emilyzorn.com.
To learn about nutrition, diets, and more, check out my podcast RDs vs BS on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or the website www.rdsvsbs.com.
Happy Holidays!