As we round the corner into the holiday season, we know that many of us struggle during this time of year when it comes to our nutrition. Our team has put together their top tips for moving beyond feeling like you survived the holidays, but actually thriving and moving through the holiday season with confidence in your decisions around your nutrition and health.

Some of our suggestions have to do with your food, while others revolve around optimizing your digestion and shifting your mindset around these holiday meals. While we don’t expect you to be able to follow every tip provided, we hope that at least one of these resonates with you this holiday season!

The following tips come from the owner of Always Growing Nutrition and functional nutritionist, Deidre Bloomquist. She is a FNTP, RWP and specializes in digestive health and hormone healing.

Take a few deep breaths before every meal.

While it might sound too simple to work, taking a few deep breaths prior to starting a meal is one of the most effective non-food changes you can make to help ensure your meal is benefiting you.

In our culture, we tend to run on non-stop adrenaline and stress, and the holidays only make things more intense. When we live in this state, our central nervous system is functioning in a sympathetic state, also known as “fight or flight.” In the sympathetic state, our digestive system function differently, causing less saliva and stomach acid to be produced, slower motility, less bile production, and all of this means that our food is unable to be broken down and digested properly, which often means we don’t feel good as a result of our meals.

By taking a few calming breaths before a meal, we can bring our nervous system into a parasympathetic state, also known as our “rest and digest” state, in order to more effectively break down and absorb the nutrients from our food. This will mean less bloating and discomfort, and that you’re actually getting the vitamins and nutrients from the food.

Eat only when you’re hungry, and slow down your meal.

Hunger cues are initiated by hormones sent between the brain and the stomach, and our satiety cues are signaled in the same way. When we slow down during a meal, we are better equipped to interpret these hormonal signals before it’s too late.

We’ve all been there. You’re starving and practically inhaling your food, but before you know it you’re uncomfortably full. Research shows that slowing down your meal actually means you’ll eat less calories overall due to these satiety cues reaching you at the appropriate time.

Avoid complete restriction.

If we told you that you couldn’t have any pumpkin pie this year, what’s the first thing you think about? That’s right, it’s pumpkin pie. Our brains are hard-wired this way, and it’s exactly why food restrictions often fail and cause use to crave those forbidden foods even more.

Instead of restricting yourself from foods, aim to have a little bit of the food you’re craving without setting a restriction on it. This might look like having a small piece of pie or a holiday cookie without overindulging on them. When we know we can have a food any time we’d like, we’re less likely to go overboard on that food item.

Decide the person you want to be and prove it to yourself with small wins.

You’ve got goals and it’s time to really own them. Sometimes these goals mean making some hard choices, especially around the holidays, and sometimes it means cutting yourself some slack and enjoying the festivities. This is going to be very personal to you, but ultimately deciding who you want to be in order to achieve your goals will be the game changer in deciding what your holiday protocol should look like.

Remember to prove this to yourself with small wins, even if it means you aren’t doing anything perfectly. This might look like having a sugar-less alcoholic beverage or it might look like skipping alcohol altogether. There is no one way to reach your goals, but be authentic to yourself during the process.

Create a strategy plan.

There are going to be obstacles along the way, and the easiest way to ensure failure over the holidays is to fail to have a plan in place when they arise.

First, consider what your three biggest obstacles during the holidays are. Then take each obstacle individually and come up with a plan for when it inevitably happens using the “When X happens, I will do Y” structure.

Here are some examples:

When I want some chips, I will put them in a bowl to portion my intake instead of eating them straight from the bag.
When I’m craving a holiday cookie, I will grab a piece of fresh fruit instead.
When I’m stressed around my family, I’ll have seltzer water between each glass of wine.
When I want to have dessert, I’ll skip the potatoes at dinner.

These might look like swaps, but they may also be changes or additions to your routine. When we anticipate our failures, we can plan ahead and know exactly what to do in the moment.

Make meals better, but not perfect.

Aiming to go through the holiday season with perfectly portioned meals, no treats, no alcohol, and no fun will probably lead to a lot of stress in an already stressful time of year. We’re looking at you, perfectionists.

Rather than aiming for perfection, make meals better. We’re looking to tip the needle in the right direction on the spectrum of overall health, and this often means that things don’t need to be immaculate.

Here are some ideas to get you started on how to do this:

Swap wheat flour for a gluten-free flour such as almond or coconut flour for holiday baking.
Make sure each meal has a protein, fiber source, and healthy fat included.
Replace white potatoes with sweet potatoes for a lower glycemic index.
Remove unnecessary sugar from recipes.
Cook with healthy fat like olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil rather than vegetable and canola oils.

The following tips come from Tessa O’Toole, a Certified Nutrition Specialist with a master’s in nutrition and integrative health. She blends her functional nutrition perspective with Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size to support clients with a healthy relationship with food and their body.

What is important to you around the holidays?

Do you value having time for yourself? Do you value spending more time with friends and family? Are there important religious or spiritual aspects to the holidays for you?

Spend some time thinking about what is important for you this holiday season. Getting in tune with our values can help us stay grounded during the often hectic holidays. Check in periodically and ask yourself some questions. Is my mood, my ability to engage, the way I am engaging, aligned with my values? Is my mood or feelings affecting the way I am able to listen to my body or the foods I am choosing?

Check in with yourself.

Holidays are filled with hustle and bustle and stress. When we are stressed and busy, it is really easy to tune out the cues our body is trying to tell us. Are you able to slow down for a minute and tune into your body? Investigate what emotions you might be feeling, are they aligned with any physical sensations? Can you identify what hunger and fullness feel like in your body?

If so, take time before and during meals to identify where your body is at on your hunger and fullness scale. Take a minute to check into how the food tastes and smells, is it as good as you remembered it to be? Taking beats to check in with our body can help us remain present and lessen the chance of being uncomfortable from overeating.

Allow yourself to enjoy the foods you love.

You deserve to eat foods that bring you joy. Don’t restrict yourself this holiday season because you believe X food is “bad” or “sinful.” If you love sugar cookies because they remind you of your childhood, or even if they have no memories attached to them, allow yourself to feel pleasure from foods that bring you joy. You can enjoy food like cookies and brownies AND like the vegetable dishes at family gatherings while honoring your health, mind and body.

Give yourself permission to eat.

You don’t have to deprive yourself of food before the big holiday dinner. In fact, you shouldn’t.

Saving up your calories for one meal is going to put the body in a state of restriction and deprivation leading to overeating, mindless eating and end in feeling miserable, uncomfortable and feelings of shame and guilt may settle in.

Honor your hunger and eat meals like you do any other day, your body has needs regardless of the holidays. If you want to be able to eat more of the holiday foods that you love, give yourself permission to eat them more than once a year! If you love stuffing, eat stuffing outside of the holidays.

Prepare yourself for diet culture talk.

Diet culture never sleeps, but boy, oh boy, is it super present during the holidays. I imagine we’ve all heard an aunt mention how “bad” she’s been and share information about the new diet she is starting on Monday, the cousin talking about how they haven’t eaten all day, or a friend sharing negative comments about their body.

Take some time to prepare yourself for potential comments or conversations. What are some potential scenarios and how would you like to approach them? Some people like to have a witty or humorous comment back, some people prefer to leave the room.

Here are some of my favorites:

Why are you so concerned about what’s on my plate?
I’m on a diet from diets.
I don’t engage in food shaming.
I’m not interested in having this conversation.
I want to spend my time with you talking about more important things.
I’ve been working really hard at accepting my body and I am uncomfortable with this conversation. Let’s talk about something else.
I don’t make rules about food and believe all foods fit!

The following tips come from Joan Vye, who is a holistic nutrition consultant and studying for her degree in diets. She works with clients on weight loss to determine what their health and fitness can look like, while making the process simple and sustainable.

Move together.

Suggest a family walk after dinner. In my experience, spending time together outdoors away from electronics makes the holiday feel really special, and moving around helps the body use up some of the energy from that delicious meal! It can even help mitigate the blood sugar spike and crash (aka the real reason you get tired after your Thanksgiving meal).

Be mindful of the “screw it” effect.

Studies show that having a black-or-white attitude around diet can set us up for the “screw it” effect. As in, “Screw it, I already ruined my diet with that donut, I might as well go crazy now.” Then you end up feeling bloated, uncomfortable, and guilty.

Remember that one donut, one meal, or even one day will not stop you from achieving your goals. You’re only ever one meal away from being back on track! So, if you have a meal that leaves you feeling lousy, treat your body at the next meal with a plate loaded with protein and veggies. You deserve to feel good!

Don’t skip breakfast.

While it may sound smart to skip breakfast so you can save your calories/appetite for dinner, chances are it will backfire. When you’re ravenously hungry, calorie dense foods, like bread, have a stronger appeal even if it’s not necessarily how you’d prefer to fill your plate.

Doesn’t it sound nicer to be in control of how you want your dinner plate to look, instead of letting hunger run the show? Start off your holiday with a filling breakfast such as scrambled eggs with avocado. Then at dinner, notice that you’ll have an easier time filling your plate with delicious, healthy food that makes you feel good, not sluggish.

Sleep well.

Hunger and fullness hormones don’t work as well after a poor night’s sleep. After a restless night, hunger cues go up, fullness cues go down, and it becomes really easy to overeat. Studies show that even partial sleep deprivation leads to eating an average of 400 extra calories the following day. So, the night before a holiday celebration, hit the hay a little early! Allow yourself 9-10 hours time in bed to ensure you have plenty of time to get at least 8 hours of sleep.

Use the buddy system.

This is one of my personal favorites. Before a holiday meal or party, I like to chat with someone who will also be there, like my mom or my partner, about what my game plan is going to be. For example saying, “I’m just going to have sparkling water tonight” to my partner on our way to a party. Simply saying out loud to someone that I’m going to skip the drinks or order salmon for dinner helps me to keep my word when temptations are high.

Set a timer.

After dinner, it can be all too easy to load up on a second serving right away. But often, it’s only by the time you finish your second plate do you realize how uncomfortably full you really are!

Next time after dinner, immediately set a timer on your phone or your watch for 20 minutes. It takes that long for the brain to get the chemical message that the stomach is full and satisfied. If, after twenty minutes, you realize you’re good on more food- great! Skip the seconds. On the flip side, if seconds still sound good when the timer goes off, go for it and don’t feel guilty about it.

The following tips come from Tamara Pickman, a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who loves to help clients feel energized. She works with clients to optimize digestion, energy levels, and feeling their best.

Prioritize protein.

Protein is the most satiating macronutrient meaning it will keep you full. Making sure to prioritize protein during your meals (filling up on protein first) will help keep cravings in check and help you make decisions based on your hunger instead of your cravings.

Keep moving.

Holiday season is also a season of 5k fun runs and family walks. Keep up your normal routine of walking daily, especially on the day of an event. Any movement will be helpful to keep your lymphatic system moving, your digestion happy, and will help balance blood sugar. Walking is great, a fun run, bike ride, playing catch with family, tag, your regular weight lifting session, etc.

Enjoy the company of family.

Holidays are meant for connection and play and we often forget that because we are busy worrying about what foods you can or cannot eat or what fits your macros or a bit of sugar will derail all the progress you’ve made. Come into each gathering and event as a way to connect with your friends and family and spread your joy, light, and love with the people around you. Let yourself be consumed with good vibes and enjoy the food that finds your mouth whatever that may be. Connection should be a priority over macros in the food.

Food is food.

The food that is available at all the holiday gatherings is available to you all year round. We tend to get in our own way by telling ourselves that this is the only time this food is available and this creates a scarcity mindset which gives us a bit of fear around the food being gone. Practice a mindset shift around all the goodies.

Offer to cook.

If you are concerned about not having a healthy or allergy friendly dish at a party or event, offer to cook and bring one with you. This will ensure that you have at least one thing to eat that you know you will enjoy and that is delicious! It will ease your mind and help the host feel supported as you are taking some work off their plate.

Stay hydrated.

A rule to follow every day: drink half your bodyweight in ounces of water! This is also relevant on days when we have events or holiday dinners to go to. Making sure you are drinking enough water will help digestion and cravings, plus it will help keep you hydrated as you indulge in a festive adult beverage! Water for the win.

Get clear on how you want to remember the holiday

This is similar to finding your “why” when it comes to starting your health journey. Find your answer to how you want to feel during this holiday/during this dinner? Who do you want to be around? Do you want to be stressed about food? Really sitting down and sifting through your emotions and how you would ideally like to show up will be a good anchor for the day.

Remember: One day/a few days is not going to ruin your progress! This is a time for connection, and celebration.

Moderation is key.

You can have anything you want and it will not throw you off track. Everything is meant to be enjoyed and that is where we can practice moderation. Moderation with drinks, with foods, even with relatives and friends.

Sample it!

Take a small sample of everything that is there! This way you get lots of variety, a small portion of every item, and then you can find what you really enjoy and go back to get more of the foods you liked best without feeling like you missed out on anything.

20 Nutrition Tips to Thrive this Holiday Season