I’m sure that your week is as busy as mine, but I wanted to take a moment to wish all of you, my readers, Happy Holidays, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, the Solstice, Kwanzaa, or Festivus. Work has been surprisingly busy this week (and next). Who knew that so many people would actually want to see their dietitian over the holidays? If I had to wrap up my holiday eating advice in three bite-size nuggets, it would be this:
- Enjoy the holiday meals, but be cautious about “indulgent food creep” in the hours and days around the meals.
- Be choosy. Enjoy those holiday foods and treats that really satisfy you, and decline those that aren’t quite your cup of tea. This also means going for quality…one delicious homemade cookie is worth a thousand cheap mass-produced grocery store bakery cookies.
- Eat your vegetables. Yes, even during the holidays. Good nutrition never takes a holiday (and vegetables are nutrient powerhouses). Plus, when you are enjoying some indulgent foods, balancing them out with some veggies can help ward off a food coma.
I won’t be putting a links post for Friday (come on, it’s Christmas!), so here are a select few links that are appropriate to the holiday season:
- How our holiday food traditions help us reconnect with healthy habits.
- How to relax and enjoy some down time.
- Save your healthful eating habits by foiling holiday food pushers. (A Seattle Times column I wrote a few years ago, but still highly relevant.)
- Enjoying holiday food traditions…healthfully. (Ditto.)
Once again, I wish you the happiest and healthiest of holidays!
