Christmas Balanced Food Planning

Christmas is such a special time of year.  It can be so many things all at once.  It is also a time where we tend to be much more relaxed in our food choices and eating habits.  That relaxed state can often become a stressed state if we over consume and don’t feel well after a while.

I have a few suggestions to navigate the wonderful events and meals and snacks that is part of what makes the Christmas time of year so special.  There are many different suggestions, but these 3 tips I feel are the most doable and successful. 

WATER

First and foremost - water!  Yup, hydration is a simple but often forgotten part of winter.  It’s so easy to drink water in the summer, but in the winter, we still have a need to keep hydrated.  Drinking water will also help to lessen hunger and help flush out toxins.  It’s a win all around.

How much is right for you?  Aim for 1 ounce for every 2 lbs of body weight.  Say a 150 lb person would look for 75 ounces of water.  A litre is 32 ounces so 72 ounces is just over 2 litres.  One very helpful way to do this would be to find a glass or stainless steel water bottle that is close to 1 litre, and plan to refill it X amount of times over the day in order to attain your own personal amount needed.  

TIP: Find a special water bottle that inspires you in hopes that it may help to keep you on track with your water goals.  Use it at home and take it with you everywhere.  Being hydrated can help with symptoms such as low energy and headaches as well as sluggish bowels.  And a green bonus is that glass and steel reusable bottles help to lessen our creation of waste and plastics.

PRE-EVENT PLANNING

Next suggestion is to balance your foods throughout the day, everyday, not just on party days.  If you know you are going to an event in the evening where there will be sweet treats, fried foods, and such, aim to have balanced meals prior to that event.  Balanced in the way of mainly protein and healthy fats along with fibre to balance your blood sugar, and keep you feeling full. 

A veggie omelette for breakfast (protein, fat, and fibre), and a chicken salad or veggie lentil soup for lunch are also nice and clean protein and fibre rich options that won’t spike your blood sugar.  Enjoy a handful of almonds or an avocado or apple before heading to an event to keep from showing up hungry.

Keeping your blood sugar balanced is very helpful in avoiding blood sugar spikes which result in a blood sugar drop, which creates that panicked need for a sugar hit later in the day.  Treats can be hard to say no to, but having low blood sugar can make those rational decisions even more difficult.  

THE RULE OF 3

When looking at a table full of incredible foods, remember the rule of 3.  Your first 3 bites will be the most impactful.  You get the biggest satisfaction out of those first 3 bites, the rest is just excess.  With treats you are tempted by, just take enough for 3 bites.  Then, with each bite hold it in your mouth, and really enjoy it.  Slowly.  We only truly enjoy food when we are tasting it and it is in our mouths.  Once we swallow, that source of enjoyment is gone.  So eat slowly and fully enjoy your food while aiming to keep it to 3 bites.

In summary, these 3 ideas may help to keep you from regretting any overindulging, anytime…  Drink at least 1 ounce per 2 lbs of your body weight. Eat balanced meals and foods, especially before an event.  Enjoy 3 bites of your most desired treats and consume them slowly, getting the most out of them.  

Last but not least, be gentle with yourself.  Don’t expect perfection, just aim to do your best but enjoy as well.  

You can find incredible options for your whole foods planning and healthy meals and party treats at your Quality Greens markets.

Have a great week,

Lisa.