This blog post 5 Strategies to Eat Healthy Over the Holidays is sponsored by Good Food Made Simple.
It’s the holiday season… and that means cookies, chocolate, and sweets galore. Holiday parties with rich side dishes and a stocked bar can get us in trouble and make it challenging to eat healthy over the holidays. And so can making 4 (four)!!! batches of chocolate chip cookies for all the cookies swaps you’re attending (or is that just me?) #toomuchcookiedough
But it’s so good, right?!
Let’s be real, it’s hard to keep up a balanced diet during the holidays but with a little strategery and mindfulness you can feel your best all season long. Move over chocolate chip cookie dough, we aren’t tempted by you. Here are some of my best tips to help you survive the holiday feasts and eat healthy over the holidays so you can kiss the New Year’s resolutions bandwagon goodbye.
Drink water so you don’t confuse hunger for thirst.
Carry a water bottle around with you so that you don’t forget to hydrate! It’s easy to get dehydrated and zapped of energy, so a little extra water can help with keeping you energized and less likely to snack when you’re not really hungry.
Load HALF your plate with vegetables!
Fill up on lots of veggies but take a pass on the veggies that are loaded up with butter and condiments!
If you’re attending a party and need to bring an appetizer or side, check out some of these veggie filled ideas –> Apple & Kale Power Salad, Edamame, Cranberry, & Feta Salad, Harvest Salad with Creamy Pumpkin Balsamic Vinaigrette, Green Bean Casserole with Au Gratin Topping
Talk about all that healthy holiday eating!!!
Eat Often
Don’t skip meals in hopes to “save up” for the big feast or night of drinking. This doesn’t work and will backfire by putting your body into fat storage mode when you finally do consume food. Aim to eat every 3-4 hours to prevent swings in energy and mood. No one wants a crabby party guest anyway.
Eat breakfast every day! Some of my favvvvvv breakfast eats are oatmeal, egg sandwiches and waffles! Good Food Made Simple has tasty and convenient breakfast options to make it easier to eat healthy over the holidays. And best of all… their simple ingredient list!
Pace yourself—slowly sip 2 big glasses of water in between every alcoholic drink.
If you’re at a party and alcohol is offered, go in with a strategy. Drink 2 glasses of water in between every alcoholic drink. Keep in mind the guidelines for men is no more than 2 drinks per day and women 1 per day (and nope—saving these up doesn’t count either—that would be called binge drinking and only leads to weight gain and a hangover).
Stay Active
Take advantage of (hopefully) some time off work and schedule your workouts! Hitting the gym first thing in the morning will make you feel AMAZING! That feeling never gets old.
If you have shopping to do, make sure that you wear your walking shoes so that you can last all day and get in a ton of steps in at the mall.
How do you eat healthy over the holiday season? I’d love to hear your best tips and what works for you!!
Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.
Did you make one of my recipes?? Leave a review in the comments and tag @loveandzest #loveandzest on Instagram!
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Great tips! The hydration tip is so important. It’s amazing how your body can confuse the two signals!
LOVE the load half your plate with veggies tip! That’s my all around life tip, lol.
I really need to improve on drinking water in general – even more so during the holidays. It’s super dry here! Great tips.
Great tips to use during the holidays! Staying mindful is so important!
Great tips! I always drink water between alcoholic beverages — really helps with feeling better the next day.
Thanks for keeping me healthy this holiday season. It’s so easy to eat and drink too much from November to December. I swear by the water idea – one glass for every alcoholic drink and it helps fill you up! Keep those healthy ideas coming girl!
Great tips!
The only time I skip out on veggies is Thanksgiving. Because let’s face it, turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and stuffing win. 🙂
Thanks for the tips for the holidays. I always struggle with making healthy choices during the holidays and hurting peoples feelings when I only take a very small serving of something beautiful they have made.
Such a great list of tips!
Thanks for sharing your great tips! Totally needed to read this before the holidays.
Your strategies are really sensible. I’m going to try them this year. It should really make a difference.
Great tips! Love it!
I definitely need that strategy. Or at least I need to focus right after holidays and lose some weight… Great article!
Awesome tips- I’ve been trying really hard to drink more water lately- it was hard at first but I feel so much better!
Thanks for the tips. Your right, I could easily gain 10 over the holidays. I’ve got to remember more water,. Your salad is beautiful, BTW!
These are great strategies and a great reminder as we are full speed into the holiday season! This happens every year that I loose my gripe! I appreciate these tips!
Great tips on eating healthy! I pack on extra pounds every year. I am trying hard not to this year.
Thanks!!! It’s hard not too 😉 Best wishes this holiday season…