10 Holiday Nutrition Survival Tips | CrossFit Virginia Beach VA

Ten tips to make it through the holidays.

Survive the holidays without missing out.

Host!

You hosting the party gives you the control over what food will be available. Obviously, this is the best way to get though it but not everyone likes to host or feels comfortable hosting. Trust me when I say I’ve host plenty of gluten free parties and no one has said a thing to me about it. I don’t mention it to anyone. I just tell everyone I’ll supply the food and they can bring the drinks. Of course, beer is not gluten free but if that’s their drink of choice that’s fine with me. I don’t have to drink what they bring.

Bring your own dish.

Make something that works for you whether it’s paleo, whole 30, AIP, keto, macro or whatever you are following. If you don’t have a favorite side dish I’ll link some websites below. Some ideas that are easy and don’t require cooking or baking are:

Meat and cheese platter
Shrimp and homemade cocktail sauce (sugar free ketchup I like Primal Kitchen and ground horseradish)
Spiced nuts mix
Stuffed mushrooms (Most grocery stores have something in the deli section)
Deli platter with mixed assortment of meats
Veggie platter with hummus or guacamole

Eat before you go.

If you show up to a party empty handed and hungry that’s just a recipe for disaster. Usually following the disaster is the guilt of not being in control. It’s incredibly hard for anyone to control themselves when they are super hungry. Eat your normal meals before you go and that way you’re not starving and more tempted to make bad decisions.

Take small portions of your favorites.

At the party take small portions of your favorites and walk away from the food table. Go sit down with your friends and family and enjoy the food. Holidays are meant to connect and build memories not obsess about your diet. Allow yourself to have some fun and enjoy it. If you finish your plate, drink a glass of water. If you are still wanting seconds, get a little more. One day isn’t going to hurt you. When you expect yourself to be perfect in tempting situations you are setting yourself up for failure. When you label foods as “off limits” it makes the food more tempting. Have a small portion of it and enjoy it.

Keep track of how you feel after you eat.

We all have those few dishes that we LOVE. Do we really love it or was it just the memories that are tied with it that make it so awesome? If you come across some of your all-time favorite dishes, allow yourself to have a small portion and take note of what and how you feel. Do you still love it or was it just okay? You might be surprised that you don’t really care for it anymore. And if you do leave it on your “love it” list.

Take a look at everything available.

Take a tour of the food table. Look at everything available before you start picking what you want to eat. Look at what you really want to eat. Don’t restrict yourself. Start with some protein and green veggies. Eat that and then go back for your favorite sides. Eat slowly and chew all your food. Try to eat to 80% full.

Don’t drink your calories.

If alcohol is your thing, try to drink water in between each drink. Alcohol is the forth macro, which your body will stop processing all other macros to get rid of the alcohol in your system. Your body sees alcohol as a toxin so it wants to process it as fast as it can and remove it from your body. Drink water or zero calorie drinks instead. Sip on mineral or sparkling water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. Bring your own mock-tails. Check out the recipe link below.

Don’t be afraid to tell a white lie.

If you are being badgered about not eating or having just a little, simply say “I was just at another party and really full. Everything looks so good though.” Remember these are your goals. A lot of times it makes people uncomfortable because you have goals. Most of the time they are uncomfortable because they feel like they couldn’t do what you are doing. And that’s okay. They will still be your family and friends.

Keep your workout schedule.

As best as you can make sure you get your weekly workouts in. If you can’t make it to the gym do some at home workouts. Or try to get your family outside for a walk or friend games. Going for a moderate intensity walk post eating has shown to help control postprandial blood glucose levels. Go get outside. If it’s cold bundle up!

Keep the big picture in mind.

Make a plan and try your best to stick to it. Remember, you are human. Try to change your view of “cheats” to “treats” and ALLOW yourself to have a treat. Enjoy the treats and the company that comes along with them. Holidays are to make memories. If you do track off your plan don’t be hard on yourself or think you have to give everything up. Recognize it was bump in the road and now you are going to get back on the plan. Don’t forget these are your goals and not your families.

Here’s a few questions to think about each week:

How did last week go?
What was my biggest challenge last week?
What’s the schedule for the week?
What’s going to be the biggest hurdle for sticking to my plan?
How can I set myself up for success this week?
What’s one thing I am grateful for?

During the holidays if you feel like you need more accountability and support sign up with me. I’ll help you build long term sustainable habits and practices. I’ll help you navigate stressful situations while hitting your goals

~Coach Jess

Recipes and links:

Here is the link to my Pinterest page https://www.pinterest.com/jfern11/boards/

https://www.culinarynutrition.com/30-best-healthy-holiday-recipes/

AIP

https://drlauryn.com/recipes/31-aip-holiday-recipes/

https://meatified.com/aip-christmas/

https://healyeatsreal.com/autoimmune-paleo-holiday-recipes/

Keto/ Low Carb

https://kaseytrenum.com/pumpkin-cream-cheese-muffins-keto-friendlylow-carb/

https://www.grassfedgirl.com/70-keto-and-low-carb-holiday-recipes/

https://www.delish.com/holiday-recipes/g22628933/keto-thanksgiving-recipes/