Holiday Food Guide: Tips on How to Stay in Control

The holidays are coming up QUICK! And I know many many many of us get worried about getting super carried away on those big days when it comes to all of the delicious food! By all means, ENJOY yourself! BUT…

Here are some tips that will help you not get totally out of control.

Never forget your WHY

• Keep your goals in mind. Remember where we are headed. Envision yourself reaching those goals. Think about how you would feel in that moment of finally hitting your big milestone

• We have to keep those protein numbers up to maintain muscle mass! And plus, filling up on protein will help minimize indulging in TONS of sweets later.

• This will ensure that we’re getting our greens in AND it will help fill you up! More greens = better digestion. I know for me, digestion tends to suffer with these big holiday meals. After protein and veggies, you are less likely to be hardcore craving all of the sweets and carbs which usually leads to overindulging. Protein and greens first, carbs and sweets last.

Hydrate hydrate hydrate!

• Especially if you’re planning on having drinks 🍹, prioritize water consumption in between servings. 
• Hydration will help a ton with digestion, bloat, inflammation, and it can even cause you to feel more satisfied. 

Focus on portion control

• ENJOY YOURSELF! But focus on sticking with smaller portions. Instead of LOADING your plate up with food, choose one or two things and take a reasonable portion of each. It requires much more effort to get up and grab more food when you’ve finished. AND you’re less likely to eat more and more if you’re already feeling satisfied from protein and greens.

• Eat your food SLOW. Your body needs time to let you know when you’re truly full. Eating too fast can cause you to overindulge EASILY. Focus on each bite, think about the flavor, and truly observe each and every bite. Chew your food thoroughly. Place your fork or spoon down in between bites.

• This isn’t meant to be a “punishment” for eating more that day. Simply being active will keep you in a more controlled mindset when it comes to choosing your food later in the day.
• One year we hiked Enchanted Rock before our big meal with the family. Everyone had a blast! Most years I usually plan to get a workout in before everyone gets to our house. You could even invite family members to participate in your workout.

• The spirit of Thanksgiving has nothing to do with eating until you hate yourself. Keep the meaning of the holiday in mind. Be present with your family and enjoy yourself with some reasonable control 😉

Keep in mind, one day off track will not hurt you. You CAN enjoy yourself. It’s not going to set you back. Focus on simply staying in control ❤️ Eat the damn pie.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!