Holiday Season Nutrition and Wellness Reminders
Christkindle Market, Chicago Loop, IL
‘Twas the Monday before Christmas so this is the perfect time to share my top five nutrition and wellness reminders for the holidays. These reminders are for everyone during this winter holiday season and can be applied to any holiday season throughout the year. Holiday being times where we have things to celebrate but also a time that we don’t always eat what and when we normally do. This change in our normal schedule, often times, can bring up additional feelings of anxiety or stress. I would like to publicly acknowledge that we all face these feelings but with mindfulness practices and a few more reminders, we can set ourselves up for success and get through the holiday seasons and enjoy them in their glory.
As you enter the next two weeks and other holiday seasons throughout the year, I encourage you to take these reminders with you and use them to empower you to remain consistent with your health goals, manage stress levels, and keep your body in a balanced nutritional state. This may be a time when you share meals with those who don’t understand your food preferences, your lifestyle choices and feel the need to give unsolicited advice and comments about what they think you should be doing and the choices you should be making…
It’s a tale as old as time... mealtime with family can be some of the most significant, memorable, and special times shared with family while it can also be a time where the most uncomfortable and intrusive topics are discussed. Let this serve as your reminder that you and only you are allowed to make the judgement call on what foods you put into your body. My hope is, and anyone who loves you should hope, that you fuel your body with balanced meals, quality ingredients and, possibly most importantly, the foods that not only fill you up physically but also fill your heart with holiday nostalgia and memories of love, joy, and good times.
And for those who may have more tender holiday memories or memories that bring up feelings of loneliness and grief, I empathize with you and hope you find new ways to recreate or reinvent the holiday cheer for yourself to move forward and make holidays joyful in the future.
Let’s get into the reminders now, shall we?
Create balance in your meals. Balance your plate at meals to ensure satiety and satisfaction! This means making sure you have a balance of carbohydrates, protein, fiber and even something that’s nostalgic for you when it comes to the holidays. I don’t encourage overthinking the looks of your plate, but I do encourage being mindful of portion sizes and what I prioritize putting on my plate. Typically, when my first plate isn’t enough, I lean towards the fiber-packed carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, broccoli, beans or lentils and whole grains, and lean proteins like fish, chicken, or turkey to be the items I grab for seconds if I’m still hungry. These are just suggestions, and I do appreciate that everyone’s holiday meals look differently so this is why I encourage a balanced plate and even bringing the types of foods you are hoping to have if you know they aren’t typically available at your holiday functions. For instance, I know that I need to be the person to bring high fiber carbohydrates to festivities otherwise there won’t be many options for me in that department. Plus, my maple-glazed brussel sprouts and steamed broccoli-feta dish are always a hit anyway.
Hydrate! It’s important to aim for 64-80 oz of water to prevent dehydration and holiday festivity fatigue! Not only does dehydration not work for my skin routine, but it can also lead to other symptoms like fatigue and headaches. A great goal for water intake is 8-10 8oz cups of water throughout the day or more if you’re active. Since holiday festivities tend to have alcoholic drinks involved, cheers (!!), I want to be clear that alcohol is incredibly dehydrating. So, if you’re enjoying spiked holiday beverages, you will want to be sure you are having more than that water goal to maintain optimal hydration before and after holiday activities. Ps. If you’re choosing to spend the holiday season alcohol-free, like me, there are tons of hydrating mocktail recipes out there this season! Leave a comment below with your favorite mocktail recipe to share the wealth.
Your plate is no one else’s business. Not only are your plate, your weight, your body size and your food choices no one else’s business, they say nothing about you as a person. You don’t owe anyone an explanation about what’s on your plate and why. Avoid putting shame or stress on yourself for choosing the foods you love this holiday season! Restriction can lead to an unhealthy obsession… and I promise you, enjoying the holiday treats you love will not be the end of the world and could, in fact, be a way to celebrate and enjoy the old holiday traditions with loved ones and create new ones!
Make space for mindful movement. Mindful movement is a great way to clear your head before, after, and during holiday shenanigans! In addition to the cognitive, emotional, and lymphatic benefits of exercise, it has been scientifically proven that simply taking a walk, especially after eating, can significantly lower blood sugar levels. Research says that just a 2-minute walk can have a significant impact on lowering blood sugar after eating although longer walks between 15-30 minutes have a more significant impact on lowering blood sugar levels. Not only does this help lower your risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease if implemented year-round, but this can also help you digest all the holiday goodies and prevent any bowel distress or digestive issues that may pop up associated with the decadent foods of the holidays.
Indulge in a little self-care. Prioritize some self-care practices! Whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood, a hydrating face mask and some hot cocoa, a journal session accompanied by holiday cookies, or a day of rest to prepare or recover… be sure to prioritize self-care at some point each day this season! Not only is it important to take time to sit with yourself during holiday and busy seasons of life, but it’s also important to implement these practices into your weekly routine to avoid feelings of burnout and fatigue. Self-care looks different for everyone and it’s important to find what works best for you and your needs.
