(Updated 12/18/2023)

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year.  We have a chance to get together with friends and family, share stories, and of course, traditional holiday food.

But, with all this good cheer, you may have noticed that after the holiday festivities, you might be feeling a little bit more rundown, you might be experiencing more of those aches and pains we sometimes dismiss as just "getting older", or just not feeling as cheerful as we might like.  Some of this can be attributed to the stress of the season, but it can also be due to something you may not have thought about.  It can be due to many of the "traditional" holiday foods we tend to eat this time of year that are packed with ingredients that can aggravate our joints, sap our energy, and generally lead us to not feel so good after the party is over.  

Sound familiar? Many of us don't think of the direct impact food can have on our overall wellness and energy levels. 

Or maybe, you like many others, know you should avoid foods that are high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and devoid of fiber, but just find it too difficult to stick to healthy eating when confronted by all the sweets and treats at the Annual Holiday Party.

If you, like me, find it challenging to stick to eating healthy during the holidays, I've outlined a few of the "tricks" I use to stay on track for you!  Some of these apply if you are eating out at a restaurant as well.

HOLIDAY STRATEGIES FOR EATING HEALTHY

1) The Strategy: Bring Your Own Food

Offer to bring one of your favorite dishes to the gathering.  This way you know there is at least one "go-to" dish for you to indulge in! Most hosts welcome some help - one less thing for them to prepare!

Tricks to Try

Eat the best-for-you offerings first. If you are at a sit-down meal, for instance, opt for hot soup as a first course―especially when it's broth-based, not cream-based―can help you avoid eating too much during the main course.  Avoid the bread basket as it is passed around the table.  Make sure it doesn't land in front of your place setting where it can tempt you.

Don't stand near tempting foods, like a bowl of chips or caramel corn.  You'll be less likely to mindlessly grab a handful while talking.  Out of sight, out of mind, really does work!

Concentrate on your meal while you're eating it. Research shows that mealtime multitasking (whether at home or a party) can make you pop food mindlessly into your mouth. When eating, give yourself time to look at and appreciate the food being served.  If you have the opportunity, sit down for a meal.

Chew. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the smell, taste, and texture of each item. An additional trick to try that will slow down how fast you eat, is to set your fork down between each bite to give yourself time to chew thoroughly and so you are more aware of what you're taking in.



2) The Strategy: Don’t Go Hungry to an Event or While Holiday Shopping

To cut down on impulse eating, have a small snack that has a bit of fat and protein before heading out on an empty stomach.

Tricks to Try While Shopping

Plan your shopping route so you don’t pass by take-out food places. The obvious reason? Both sights and smells can coax you to eat, and with some vendors purposefully wafting their aromas your way, saying no can feel impossible. That's why you can smell McDonald's french fries way before you see the restaurant.

Choose a proper restaurant over the grab-and-go whenever you can. At a restaurant, request a table away from loud sounds and distractions, which can cause you to eat more. The bright lights and noisy hard surfaces can speed up the rate at which you eat and lead to overeating.

Avoid fast-food places that emphasize red in their color schemes. Red has been shown to stimulate the appetite more than many other colors, and many restaurants add it to their decor, in everything from the flowers on the table to the squiggles on the plates.  There's that McDonald's again!


3) The Strategy: Keep Track of What You Eat

Maintain a food diary to help you stay committed to your goals during this time of year.

Tricks to Try

Keep a food journal not to record how much you eat but what you eat. See if you have any eating patterns; when do you snack and why? Once you recognize your triggers, you can take steps to avoid them. Do you eat when you are stressed? Maybe a walk around the block and a couple of deep breaths would serve you better. Are you just thirsty? Many times we mistake thirst for hunger. Try a full glass of water before you indulge.


4) The Strategy: Eat Before Going to a Party

Before going out, have a healthy snack to curb your appetite.

Tricks to Try

Eat breakfast. This has been shown to prevent overeating later in the day.

Limit the number of foods on your party plate. Research has shown that when faced with a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, smells, shapes, and colors, people eat more―regardless of their true hunger level. Cutting down on your personal smorgasbord can help fill you up and keep you satisfied, without seeking out other less healthy options.  

Choose foods wisely, filling your plate with nutrient dense foods, such as leafy green salads, vegetable dishes, and lean proteins. That way, you can eat a larger amount of food for fewer calories and not feel deprived.

Don't leave the taste of sweetness in your mouth.  When you’ve had enough (and don’t want to eat more), it is helpful to "cleanse the palate".  I like to have water or eat a savory food, like nuts, instead of something sweet.


5) The Strategy: Keep Healthy Snacks at the Office

Stash healthy foods in your desk at work so you’re not as tempted by the treats piling up at the office.

Tricks to Try

Try to keep communal office goodies out of view, either in an area that isn’t as highly trafficked as the kitchen or the break room, or in dark containers or covered dishes. In one study, people ate 26 percent more Hershey’s Kisses when the candies were in clear dishes versus white ones. And when the chocolates were placed six feet away, the average person ate only four a day, as opposed to nine a day when they were within arm’s reach.

Do something healthy, like eating a piece of fruit, walking around the office for five minutes, or climbing a few flights of stairs to stave off the temptation.



6) The Strategy: Manage Portion Size

In general, it is best not to overeat, something that is easy to do when at social gatherings! Start by taking smaller portions, knowing you can come back for more later.  You're more likely to eat more when it is already on your plate.

Tricks to Try

Use smaller plates and serving utensils. I love doing this.  I do it at home too! Try a salad or dessert plate for the main course and a teaspoon to serve yourself. What looks like a normal portion on a 12-inch plate or a trough-like bowl can, in fact, be a huge serving size. In one study conducted at the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, even nutrition experts served themselves 31 percent more ice cream when using oversize bowls compared with smaller bowls. The size of the serving utensil mattered, too: Subjects served themselves 57 percent more when they used a three-ounce scoop versus a smaller scoop.

Pour drinks into tall, skinny glasses, not the fat, wide kind. Other studies at Cornell have shown that people are more likely to pour 30 percent more liquid into squatter vessels.



7) The Strategy: Control Your Environment

Our surroundings can affect our food choices.

Tricks to Try

Sit next to a fellow healthy eater (there’s strength in numbers). Or sidle up to that uncle who eats slowly, so his pace can slow yours.

Keep visual evidence around of what you’ve consumed so you don’t forget. Leave an empty bottle of wine or beer in view and you’ll be less tempted to drink more.



8) The Strategy: Keep Up the Exercise

Getting in movement is key to staying healthy and minimizing pain and fatigue.  But this time of year, it can be challenging to stick to your regular routine.

Tricks to Try

Break it up. If you don’t have time for your daily walk, do a few 10- or 15-minute spurts of exercise throughout the day (to accumulate the surgeon general’s recommendation of 30 minutes a day). They can be just as effective at maintaining overall fitness as one continuous workout.

Don't discount your regular activities, such as cleaning for houseguests, or dashing through a million stores to find the perfect presents.  They count as movement too. In one Harvard study, people who were simply told that they did enough in their daily lives to meet the surgeon general’s recommendations lost weight and body fat without consciously changing a thing. A possible reason? Believing that what they were doing was having a positive effect may have led to subtle changes in their overall health behaviors.



9) The Strategy: Choose Your Indulgences

You intend to stave off feelings of deprivation by allowing yourself a “cheat” day a week.

Tricks to Try

Plan in advance to eat a little more and be a little more flexible at this time of year, when you face daily temptations. Many foods are special and available to us just this time of year. If you find you can't avoid enjoying your mother's specialty holiday cookie, enjoy it mindfully, and don't "beat yourself up" for not being perfect. Be mindful when enjoying it and savor every bite.