By Kim Wilson Pollock
Believe me when I tell you, staying healthy during the holidays is easy! I know what you are thinking but the truth is the Holidays are like any other time of the year. You are surrounded by processed food and sugar, overwhelmed with stress and always on-the-go 24/7. This sounds like a typical day for most people. You can’t turn on the TV or drive down the street without some “poor choice” or “bad habit” calling out our name (for example: M&M commercials, a Starbucks on every block, or a big bread basket served at your table before dinner at a restaurant).
As a Holistic Health Coach, I recommend cleaning up your diet and your mindset for LIFE, not just a specific period of time. Yes, there are more parties and celebrations during the holidays, but if you change the way you approach nutrition (not a diet that you have to start and stop) and focus on all of the wonderful food you can eat and enjoy (and how EASY it all is), then you are guaranteed to have the best holiday ever.
Keep scrolling and simply choose ONE of these recommendations to get a jump start on a healthy holiday:
BRING A HEALTHY DISH
If you can bring a healthy dish to a party, do it. There are so many healthy alternatives to indulgent foods that can be made with cleaner ingredients that also taste delicious. How about healthier versions of the following: pumpkin bread, deviled eggs, salmon pecan cakes, and chocolate donuts. I love to bring a healthy dessert to a party because sweets are my weakness. So make sure you make something that you will eat instead of less healthy options.
EAT BEFORE YOU GO OUT
If you snack on some organic protein and veggies before you dash off to a festivity, the likelihood of you stuffing your face with passed hors d’oeuvres is much smaller. When you are at a celebration, stick to lean protein and vegetables. Both of these will keep you fuller longer and stabilize your blood sugar, keeping the bread and sugar cravings at bay. I eat 2 organic hard boiled eggs with some sea salt and some cut up veggies (usually carrot sticks or cucumber slices) before I hit a party.
ELIMINATE THE ALCOHOL
I know you all love your red wine, but alcohol is a gate way drug to poor decision making when it comes to clean eating. You feel happy and invincible, so eating an entire tray of pastries really doesn’t seem to matter when you are buzzed. Alcohol lowers your immune system (which increases your chances of getting sick), sends your blood sugar into a tailspin (see aforementioned pastry tray attack) and causes dehydration and poor eating habits the following day. Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose fat, something most of us are striving for. I ask for a glass of water with a lime in a cocktail glass and no one bothers me about not drinking.
FAKE IT ‘TILL YOU MAKE IT
Tell your mind it’s easy. This is the most important tip when it comes to staying healthy during the holidays, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle long term. Change your thoughts. If you are worried about gaining weight during the holidays or think that eating healthy is really hard, it will be. You create what you think about. Your internal dialogue is critical to your health. If you want optimal health, think optimal thoughts. Start to write. Every morning or evening, write down 3 things you are grateful for and 1 thing that you love about yourself. Be consistent. Most of my clients do not love themselves or take time to slow down for self-care, so they seek out caffeine, soda, sugar, bread, or alcohol to self soothe and survive (and all of these addictive substances can have serious health consequences).
Repeat after me: “Staying healthy during the holidays is so incredibly easy!” or “I love my body just the way it is!” or “I have the time to make healthy choices!”
Which one of these suggestions will you incorporate today? Which tip seems the most challenging or scare you? Comment below…I would love to hear from you!
Kim Wilson Pollock is a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach on a mission to make a jaw-dropping difference in people’s lives. She helps her clients live a more rewarding and happy life by teaching them what to eat, how to eat and why to eat it. Kim’s personal philosophy is that food is medicine. Kim’s mom inspired her to change her lifestyle and now she does the same for her clients!
Get connected on her website, Twitter , Facebook and Instagram!