Controlled Indulgence: How to practice control while still enjoying the holidays.
By: Sarah Remmer, RD, CDE
The holidays are fast approaching… And so are those tasty tempting holiday treats we love so much! The holidays are filled with family dinners and holiday parties all presenting opportunities to indulge. As the season approaches, many of my clients are expressing a bit of panic about staying in control over the holidays. "How do I avoid gaining weight?" or "how do I stay on track with my weight loss program?" are common questions that I’ve heard. There is no doubt that you will be faced with some difficult and tempting situations over the holidays. In response to the questions that I have been asked, I respond "Take a break and enjoy yourself!" Think about it this way: The holiday season lasts about 2 weeks. There are 52 weeks in a year. This is only 3.8% of the year. Enjoy! This of course does not mean that the holidays should be a free-for-all and that you should binge on Nanaimo bars for two weeks; it means that you should allow yourself to indulge in the holiday treats that you love without feeling guilty—in moderation. Here are a few tips to stay in control while indulging over the holidays:
Be mindful instead of being mindless: Continue to be mindful about what you are eating and how much. Remember to make sure that you’re meals are balanced (always include a grain or starch, a source of protein and vegetables or fruits). This will help to control your blood sugar and your cravings throughout the day. For dessert, choose one or two things that you NEED to have. Don’t waste your calories on things that you don’t absolutely love.
Tune into your true hunger cues: Don’t eat for the sake of eating or just because it is in front of you. Take small samples of appetizers and treats for taste, but don’t go overboard (after all, you want to save room for dinner!). For bigger meals, take a smaller portion to begin with and then go back for seconds if you are still hungry. Eat slowly and enjoy the company around you. Take time to savour the wonderful tastes of holiday foods. Pause in between each bite to reflect on how wonderful it tastes. Remember, you can always have leftovers (toasted turkey sandwiches) the next day. Being uncomfortably full after turkey dinner is not fun. Eat until you’re comfortable, not stuffed. Create a hunger and fullness meter in your head using the number 1 through 10. 1 means that you are absolutely famished and 10 means that you are stuffed. Try to stay around 4-8 throughout the day. 4 meaning that you are feeling subtle feelings of hunger and 7 being comfortably full.
Don’t forget your veggies! This healthy food group often gets tossed aside during the holidays. Veggies are packed full of vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. They are also full of fibre and therefore help to keep us fuller longer. Most people should be getting a minimum of 4-5 servings of veggies per day (1 serving being 1 cup of raw veggies or a ½ cup of cooked vegetables). To achieve this, make sure that at either your lunch or supper, half of your plate is covered with veggies. This is best achieved if you have 1 cooked veggie and one raw veggie. For example, have steamed asparagus as well as raw carrots and dip. Or, make a big spinach salad and have butternut squash soup to start. Be creative when it comes to veggies. Try a new festive recipe each week to ensure variety. Believe it or not, vegetables can be delicious! Try something different like grilled eggplant or roasted turnip, fennel and parsnips. Try to include at least 3 different colors of veggies and fruit per day. This will help you to receive a variety of nutrients.
Have a weight-maintenance goal: Above all, do not set a weight loss goal for over the holidays. It won’t happen and it’s an unrealistic expectation. Let’s be realistic—the holidays are no time to be counting calories or sticking to a rigid diet plan. The holidays are meant for celebrating with family and friends (and we all know that food is a big part of this). Food is not only our fuel, but it is also comforting and makes us feel good, and it’s a way to honour tradition and custom. There are 52 weeks in a year—1 or 2 weeks is not going to make or break your weight. If you do set a goal for over the holiday season, set a maintenance goal. Maintaining your weight over the holidays is the same as losing a couple of pounds in my books!
I have what I always thought was a fair amount of nutrition knowledge and have been applying it to my daily life but it wasn’t until I started meeting with Sarah that I truly understood all facets of nutrition and how even the smallest tweaking can lead to significant changes. For example - ridding my fridge & cupboards of the non-fat items and incorporating low-fat ones instead so that my body wasn’t holding onto the only fat stores it had; which was my body itself! Since making these small changes that Sarah has suggested, I have not only lost pounds, I have seen my body shape change which is no small feat for me personally as I go to the gym regularly and seemed to have been at a plateau for ages. The proper nutrition has now allowed me to train “better” and I feel stronger and healthier. The best part is to know that it is “ok” to have a little bit of indulgence each day if I so choose - like my small square of chocolate - as long as it is in moderation. (No guilt!) Thanks Sarah!
Suzanne P.
Human Resources Administrator
Trident Exploration Corp.