Dip Don't Dive this Holiday Season

DIP DON’T DIVE THIS SEASON

3 Quick and Easy Strategies to Sail through the Holidays without going Overboard

With the celebratory season upon us and our calendars filling up with feasts, social events and celebrations, we all know there will be a lot of delicious foods and treats surrounding us.

So how can we get through the season without over indulging, feeling like $#!* and gaining weight? It all starts with a game plan. Just like a well-executed football game, implementing a great strategy is necessary and essential to navigate the next 6 weeks with healthy success.

1. Get the big picture

   • Put all the events on a big calendar through the end of the year. Typically, you’ll have 8–9 events. Give yourself permission to enjoy those occasions with an agreement with yourself, on the other days, ‘I will be disciplined.’

     • Drink more water, eat more fruits, and fill up on fibrous foods like hummus with veggies, avocado or guacamole (eat with spoon - no chips), prunes and dates.

     • This 20-80 rule will enable you to sail joyously through the season while making conscious choices to help your body, mind, and digestive system to restore, detox and keep your immune system strong the other 80% of days.

2. Go into Thanksgiving Day (and every event) with a plan!

   • If you know it will be a full day of feasting, eat a light dinner the night before (ie: soup and/or salad
   • Skip a big breakfast. Coffee is fine. Add extra cream, coconut milk, MTC oil.
   • Drink water flavored with juice from one lemon and 1/8t Himalayan Sea Salt
   • Think about all the options that will be available during the day. Pick 3-5 food/drinks that you enjoy that make you happy. Enjoy them… in small portions.
   • Pace yourself. Use a small plate. Think ‘sample bites’.
   • Did you know your stomach is the size of your fist? Don’t over fill it.
   • Drink a full glass of water in between each cocktail and small plate.
     
3. Remember it’s not about depriving yourself of things you love, it’s about being mindful of how your body responds to the foods you’re eating.

Let food be thy medicine, so medicine doesn’t become your food.

Pamela Fox Leonard

Integrative Nutrition Health Specialist

Fitness Together Juno Beach