HEALTH TIP #10:

Holiday survival nutrition tips

Hooray! The holiday season is here, which means many gatherings with family and friends, as well as an abundance of delicious food. You are probably thinking: “this is where they are going to tell me to avoid certain foods such as stuffing, gravy, meat pies, deserts, etc.” Well you thought wrong!

The dietitians at the Institute recognize that there are all kind of temptations during the holiday season, but the key to maintaining a healthier you is moderation and balance. You can let yourself indulge in guilty pleasures, but it’s important to indulge wisely.

Here are a few helpful tips in order to maintain a healthier you during the holidays:

• Indulge moderately, meaning you do not need to do without your favorite foods during the holidays, just take small portions and eat slowly; that way you’ll eat less and savour more.
•  Don’t skip meals or snacks in order to save your appetite for the special meal, as this can cause you to overeat.
•  Spend your calories wisely on foods that you only typically eat during this time of the season; meaning avoid the guilty pleasure that are available year round such as chips, chocolates, cheese, etc.
• Always start by filling half of your plate with vegetables; this can help you limit the portions of high calorie foods.
• Instead of drowning your food in gravy, limit yourself to ¼ cup.
•  Instead of trying every desert available, choose your favorite one and enjoy and savor a moderate portion. 
• Watch out not to overdo it with beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) as some may contain a lot of calories, sugar or fat. As anything else, have some in moderation.

Happy Holidays from the Team at Optimal Health Institute!

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