Changing My Mindset Around Holiday Weight
The holiday season is often synonymous with festive feasts and indulgent treats, leading many individuals to experience stress and anxiety, especially those adhering to specific diets. The all-or-nothing mindset surrounding food rules can exacerbate these concerns. However, it’s essential to approach holiday eating with a balanced perspective.
If you’re concerned about gaining weight at this time of year, it might not be as big of a deal as you may think. The New England Journal of Medicinerecently found that the average holiday weight gain in adults was just under a pound.
Overall health is more about a consistent lifestyle, and the best way to maintain that is to keep fluctuations in your diet more moderate. Think going 20 to 50 instead of 0 to 100.
Here are 3 tips for maintaining balance in your diet during the holidays:
Continue to eat a healthy breakfast including foods like eggs, avocado, yogurt etc. to stay full and balance out less healthy meals later in the day.
Make healthier options in a holiday spread like crudite and veggie sides and mix those in with less healthy foods on your plate.
Don’t starve yourself before big evening meals–instead eat small snacks throughout the day to stay full and energized.
Find out more tips and strategies for healthy holiday eating from the Columbia University Department of Psychiatry. If you are looking to set yourself up for success this season and have your holiday meals prepared in advance, consider booking a private chef to help you.