Holiday-Ready Eating Tips with a Registered Dietician

It’s that time of year again: the holiday dinners, parties and get-togethers that always mean copious amounts of delicious food. This often means having to buy a new outfit for that New Year’s Eve party because the usual ones don’t fit anymore. Depressing!! This year, stay healthy even when faced with the temptation that is synonymous with the holiday season.

Here are our top 5 holiday-ready eating tips:

1.     Eat breakfast and lunch everyday – don’t skip out just because you know there is a chance of overeating at a holiday dinner. Why not? If you don’t eat all day, your metabolism slows down, which can then lead to even more overeating. Even better: ramp up your protein intake during the day so that you won’t arrive at the soirée hungry!

2.     Socialize. Family meals or friendly get-togethers are a perfect excuse to chat while you eat. And the longer it takes you to finish what is on your plate, the more time your tummy has to register that it's full. This will stop the often inevitable second helping. Just make sure not to talk with your mouth full!

3.     When hosting, make sure that you offer choices you would want if trying to eat healthily. Also try to cut down on the extra fatty choices. When asked to bring a dish, offer something that you know is healthy, or take a version of a traditional dish you can make in a healthy way. For example, if you are asked to bring a dessert, go with a fruit tray rather than a cake covered in frosting.

4.     Don’t over-imbibe. The holidays often offer a wide array of fancy drinks to choose from, but so many of these are anything but tummy-trimming (think eggnog!). When out, don’t stick to the fancy drink menu with options full of creamy liquors or sugary syrups – maybe try one and then move to something a little health-and-hip conscious. And try not to over-do it!

5.     Use the winter weather as an excuse to enjoy a winter activity for exercise. Go for a walk around the neighbourhood to look at the decorations and lights. Take up snowshoeing or cross country skiing in local green-spaces, parks or forests. Don’t use the cold weather as justification for curling up on the couch (as tempting as it may be). Hibernation is for the bears – and they don’t eat for months!

Still feeling anxious even with this handy-dandy list? Meet with a registered dietician to get some extra holiday eating tips or tips on how to keep this season's weight dangers at bay. Treat yourself to keeping extra pounds from building up just because you've attended and enjoyed some holiday parties. A registered dietician can help you achieve and maintain a comfortable weight in a healthy way that doesn't keep you from having fun.

For more holiday-ready tips or to speak with our registered dietician, Stefanie Senior, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine at 1 (416) 800-0800.