Thinking Ahead: Holiday Eating Strategies

Halloween is just around the corner and we’re likely already thinking about where we’ll be spending Thanksgiving this year. Holidays are definitely a time to celebrate, and eating and celebrating are inextricably linked. As such, I’ve often been asked to suggest healthy recipes for Thanksgiving through to the New Year - and I am always happy to do that. However, a while back I held a seminar “Have a Healthier Thanksgiving” and after very thoughtfully and passionately going through all the strategies and recipes a gentleman said – “how bad is indulging in one meal, anyway? I think I’d rather have the real thing and work out harder the next day.” (He was obviously not convinced about mashing his potatoes with low-sodium chicken broth.) His comment stopped me in my nutritional tracks. He was entirely right – studies show that exercise is THE best way to maintain your weight – as it can cover the occasional dietary indulgence. This realization plus knowing how many of my clients are already stressed this time of year has made me much more apt to recommend increasing exercise for a sense of well-being and balance – even if it’s just a walk after a big family meal. With all this being said, you may think I’m suggesting we eat whatever we want – and just exercise more. Interestingly, a mental shift in focus away from the “I shouldn’t eat that” often allows us the ability to mindfully moderate as we enjoy our holiday eating traditions. For example, showing up to a celebration slightly hungry vs. overly hungry can allow us to create a more balanced plate – ½ fruits and vegetables, ¼ protein and ¼ starch. This method allows us to moderate calories while not depriving ourselves of any given food. Another way of looking at balance – after your holiday indulgence day you may not feel as hungry the next day – so eat less. Plus, if you throw in an extra day of exercise you’ll do even more to balance the extra calories. The last point to consider is that you may only have 5-6 days of actual events out of the 40-day holiday stretch. This math folds quite nicely into what some call the 80/20 rule: you can get to where you want to go if 80% of the time you’re following your normal eating routine. Kathryn Reed, MS, Certified Nutritionist