The big holiday dinner, 12 sides to choose from, the appetizer table, the open bar—are your mind, body and stomach ready? No matter what, make it a goal to put the healthiest holiday food options on your plate. With that in mind, here are seven tips from an all natural food store in Poplar Bluff, MO to help you eat healthy this holiday season:
- Don’t skip meals before dinner: If you think skipping breakfast, lunch and snacks on the day of a huge holiday dinner is a good idea, think again. Because your body relies on a regular moderate intake of food for energy, going hungry all day is likely to cause overeating come dinnertime. What you should do instead is eat light foods earlier in the day to keep your stomach happy. Not eating anything before the meal so you can stuff yourself silly will just fill your tummy with aches and regrets.
- Limit alcohol and appetizers at parties: This holiday season, you will run into alcohol at parties and dinners. Alcohol tends to be self-serve, in abundance and within arm’s reach, which is not good if you’re watching your calories. The same is true of appetizers. To save yourself from consuming too many empty calories, don’t stand too close to the bar area or snack table, and repeat a mental reminder to yourself that you’re saving calories for dinner.
- Focus on socializing: A good distraction from mindlessly eating at parties is to turn your focus to socializing. It doesn’t matter if you start a conversation or are just an active listener, the point is to take your mind off of the table of delicious appetizers in the next room. Socializing without food in hand is fat-free—in fact, standing and talking can actually burn calories!
- Bring a healthy dish: Eating healthy at the holiday table is more than possible, even if dinner is being hosted by someone else. Bring a healthy homemade dish or dessert so you know you’ll have at least one nutritious option.
- Practice portion control: Many people this holiday season will be in the mindset that it’s okay to pile their dinner plates high with rib roast and sides—and even go back for seconds or thirds. But if eating healthy during the holidays is one of your goals, then moderation is key. That doesn’t mean you have to skip the candied yams because you want the rich mac and cheese more; it means enjoying a small portion of each.
- Don’t eat all the foods: Whether you don’t want any, you don’t like it or it’s not a part of your diet, it’s okay to say “no thanks” to foods. Learn to be comfortable saying no politely, yet firmly, so you’re not constantly repeating that you don’t want a certain food.
- Pace yourself: The best way to eat is to take small bites and chew slowly. Not only will this let you enjoy each bite more, but you will actually get to taste your food, too.
If your goal is to eat healthy this holiday season, then head to The Bee Hive Natural Foods, your go-to all natural food store in Poplar Bluff, MO!