Healthy eating isn’t exactly a top priority for most right now. That’s why I am sharing these 5 tricks on how to eat healthy over the holidays! If you apply them, you can both enjoy all the festivities and food while continuing to see results.
1. STRATEGIC TIMING
This is bar far my top tip for keeping nutrition in check this holiday season (or really whenever you have a lot of celebrations/parties). You know I am a systems gal and here is the exact strategy I take when I have a holiday party.
STRATEGY – higher protein and lower carbs and calories during the day; indulge at party
One of the greatest mistakes I see women make when it comes to healthy eating is that they overeat good food. I was once stuck in that cycle too! I would think, “I am eating so clean and healthy, why am I not seeing results?!” Well, there is general healthy eating and then there is eating healthy food in a specific way to see results: getting fit and lean. You know I outline all of those details in my Meal Plan but the point here is that we can be strategic with our timing of eating on party days.
Let’s say you have a holiday party Saturday PM… appetizers, dinner, dessert, drinks… the good stuff.
On Saturday AM, get a little sweat session in. Then, have a smoothie for breakfast (something lower calorie like a scoop of protein, ice, almond milk, 1 tbsp peanut butter and half of a banana). For lunch, opt for something low carb like a big salad topped with chicken, nuts, veggies and an oil based dressing. In the afternoon, enjoy a snack like a greek yogurt to get in additional protein and ensure you don’t go to your party hungry. Finally… party time! Enjoy!
I just want to point out that I do go to parties and enjoy holiday festivities without a strategy but I also like to balance those indulgences with this strategic approach.
2. SNEAK IN THE GOOD STUFF
There are always ways to be sneaky with the good stuff while making meals during the holidays. I’ve totally learned this as a mom… Leo loves smoothies so I’ll toss in a handful of spinach and he doesn’t even realize he is getting nutritious greens. Take note, mama! I have gotten in the mindset of how I can add my own powerful ingredients into recipes I love.
COLLAGEN – our healthy staples should be continued during the holidays… supplements included! For me, the key to seeing the benefits of collagen is staying consistent with it. I’ve shared before some of the benefits I notice most are reduced joint pain, more radiant/hydrated looking skin, and less bloating (if you’d like my full review on 90 days on collagen/the benefits… read THIS post). So, I make a point to keep up with it during the holidays but I just get sneaky about how I use it!
Collagen is really easy to sneak into meals. I add a scoop of the Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides into my AM smoothie; that’s my go-to breakfast and it’s super easy to add a scoop in; I also am working on perfecting a grain-free chocolate chip cookie recipe using collagen. Watch for that within the next week or two!
PROTEIN – protein is important to keep up with during the holidays for 2 reasons 1) it’s the macro most responsible for satiety (feeling full) and 2) it helps feed our muscles. Again, sneak it in!
THIS is my favorite Protein Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie Recipe (treats with protein… how amazing, right?!)
3. KEEP UP WITH YOUR WORKOUTS
How can working out help with healthy eating? They encourage one another. You workout and the endorphin rush gives you more motivation to choose a healthier lunch option. You’re eating healthy and feeling your best, so you are more likely to make time for the gym. It’s a positive cycle!
HOLIDAY WORKOUTS – the key to keeping up with your workouts (and therefore healthy eating) during the holiday season is to keep them short and a little less frequent. Aim for 4 days/week and 30 minute workouts. I would suggest my 30×30 Fat Loss Shred for a more intense 30 min workout plan OR the Fitmas Challenge going on right now if you’d like a guide for that!
If you try out these tricks, let me know what you think! They help me so much and I hope the same for you.
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