What are anti-nutrients? You may have heard this term circulating the internet, demonizing things...
Healthy Holiday Eating, Without Restriction
Are you worried about how to stay healthy while feasting this holiday season? Remember first and foremost, food is a gift meant for our pleasure and joy, as well as our nourishment, so if the holidays are full of more yummy things than you are used to, then praise God! However, to avoid the vicious cycle so many often get into in the holiday season of restriction + overeating, these are some great tips!
- On the day of a big meal gathering, don’t skip out on breakfast! Eat within 30min- hour of waking up to jumpstart your digestive system and create healthy hunger cues. Starting with protein will help your blood sugar stay stable throughout the day when eating more sweets + yummy carbs!
- Eat all meals like normally the day of and especially the day after. Whoever decided that Thanksgiving “dinner” should be at 3pm and the only meal you eat for the day is just wrong. You don’t have to “save your appetite” the day of and you also shouldn’t fast the next day or skip meals to make up for overeating. That is actually very damaging for your blood sugar and will only lead to feeling yucky and creating a cycle of craving sugar + overindulging later. Feed your body!
- Don’t skip out on the sugar, but eat it with a protein, fat, or fiber buddy. I call this the buddy system! Balance out your blood sugar and avoid the future sugar crash by eating sweets alongside your meal (with meat, veggies, cheese, etc.) or eating a later sweet snack with one of these choices as well. Preventing blood sugar spikes and crashes helps you stay out of the holiday craving cycle and keep your body healthy and strong!
- Make the day about more than food. Rejoice in what’s on your plate. Delight in your friends and family. Spend time outside or resting. A holiday is meant for your restoration in all ways! Remember that it’s one day or even one week in your life that won’t make or break your healthy lifestyle.
5. To add in: especially when traveling, stay hydrated, get in some movement, sleep in, and get lots of laughs. Pack snacks you feel confident about taking along with you. (Cold pressed green juices, grass fed beef sticks, nut packets, veggies and hummus, etc.) Happy holidays!
Curious about digging deeper into your own health?
Book a free 15 min phone call with me to see if functional nutrition is the right thing for you!
Always rooting for you!
- Allie CHN, FDN-P
Allie is a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner located in Birmingham, Alabama. She helps women and men across the country online and in her hometown office dig deeper into their root health issues and find holistic healing!
