I picked the WORST and the BEST time to start a diet – the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Seriously – all I want to do is shovel Christmas cookies into my mouth, and instead, I’m heating up leftover cauliflower for a snack. True story.
But it’s also a great time to be aware of what I’m putting into my body, because I would be putting in about 238236 times MORE than I already am if I weren’t watching what I was eating!
Here’s my tips for staying healthy through the holidays (and not gaining 10 pounds along the way)
- Track what you’re eating. I truly hate tracking, but I find that I’m most successful when I do. This helps me from taking small bites of things along the way (which add up pretty quickly!)
- Load up on veggies. When making dinner, make at least two vegetables as sides, and fill up your plate at least 2/3 full of vegetables. Eat them first, and then eat the other things on your plate.
- When you go to a holiday party – eat before you go! Have a big salad, loaded with protein, and then pick 1-2 small things to eat at the party as your treat. If you have a filling and healthy meal ahead of time, you won’t be as tempted to indulge in all of the food at the party.
- Bring your own food. Offer to bring a dish when you go somewhere – and then make it healthy! Fill up on the food you brought so you know exactly what’s in it.
- Make junk food that you’re not tempted by. I personally love chocolate – so I steer clear of baking chocolate treats. But part of the holidays IS baking for me, and my son loves to help me bake…so we make things I’m not as tempted to eat (snickerdoodles, molasses cookies, and shortbread are things that just don’t tempt me as much, but my husband and son love!)
- Fill up on protein. Every time you are eating a carb, make sure you balance it with a protein. I did this while I had gestational diabetes, and it helped to keep my blood sugars stable. I also do this with my toddler, and I feel that it helps to stabilize his moods (as much as possible for a 2 year old – ha!). We always have lots of nuts on hand – they’re the easiest way to get a protein fix.
We personally love Blue Diamond almonds for our protein fix- lightly salted if you’re looking for a salty treat, and the honey roasted is my favorite for a sweet treat!
Thanks to Blue Diamond Almonds for sponsoring this post. As always – opinions are 100% my own. Full disclosure here.
Love these tips!! It’s soo hard to eat healthy during the holidays, so I feel you!!
I just shared a healthy salad recipe on my blog (I’m attempting to eat healthier as well). Check it out if you get a chance! 🙂
http://lifeonshadylane.com/2016/01/sweet-potato-snap-pea-spinach-salad/
-Megan
http://www.lifeonshadylane.com
going to check it out now! Thanks for commenting 🙂