Tips to Help with Healthy Eating in the Holiday Season
The festive season is wonderful in so many ways and encourages us to celebrate with friends and family in ways that we often don’t have time for during the rest of the year. But when you are trying to eat healthily and consciously, invitations to meals and Christmas parties can understandably cause apprehension or, on the other hand, can cause you to give up on the habits you’ve been practising so well in the run up to December.
Our in-house nutrition coach Ann is here to help and wanted to share some tips and suggestions on how you CAN be sociable this holiday season, and still keep healthy eating in mind.
- Menus often have lots of information, so you can perhaps look at the menu beforehand and plan what you will order. Maybe the salmon and vegetables instead of the burger and chips? If you are going to eat, you might as well eat something of nutritious value.
- Eat slowly! Even if you are very hungry, try and eat slower and enjoy conversation with friends and family.
- Fill up on vegetables! Vegetables are full of nutrients that our bodies love but do not contain many calories.
- Stop eating when you are satisfied, not stuffed. Yes, you may have paid for it, but do you want to feel bloated and horrid and be reaching for the indigestion tablets at 2am?! If your body is telling you it’s full, then listen to it!
- If you are in charge of bringing snacks to an event, consider what you take and choose healthier options if possible. Have a read of the packaging and make conscious choices.
- Cook less – Prepare just enough food, so there is no need to stuff yourself with leftovers.
- Can you swap the wine for a slimline G&T?
- Drink a glass of water in between glasses of wine. Keeping hydrated is a good strategy!
- Buy what you need and not extra for the sake of it and just because it’s Christmas. If it’s in the house you are more likely to snack!
- Keep moving! Find opportunities to be active whenever you can (even if just for 15 or 20 minutes), this will help to offset the potential increased calories.
We have lots of nutrition and wellbeing information available to members on our nutrition info hub – including this blog with some recipes that may provide helpful – chocolate avocado mousse as a delicious desert and an alternative to crisps and dips!
Recipes: 16 Junk Food Alternatives to Satisfy Your Craving – Club Towers
And a more controversial and interesting read on the benefits of overindulgence and how we all need to do it from time to time. It suggests that overindulgence has several important — and vastly underrated — roles to play in the bigger picture of health, fitness, and nutrition.
Have a read and see what you think – https://clubtowers.com/the-benefits-of-overindulgence/ and as always, if it sparks any questions or discussion points, or you have any questions on our tips and suggestions, please do get in touch with Ann and book a free 20 minute consultation via [email protected].
BACK TO INFO HUBOur next nutrition course runs from the Club (open to members and non-members) from the 24th January 2024, find out more at – Master the Fundamentals of Healthy Eating in Just 16 Weeks here.
