Dr Iris’ Healthy Holiday Survival Guide
Enjoy eating without guilt during the holiday season. If you overeat at one meal, move on and eat better for your next one.
Holidays are about family & friends not food as the focus-balance, moderation and variety are the keys to health.
Begin now forming new health habits so they are in place ahead of time. Set simple, specific goals.
Use your brain power to overcome food cravings. Cravings are linked to low serotonin & dopamine levels & a mental image to food. Therefore, we choose foods high in sugar and fat to satisfy our emotional needs and calm stress.
Cravings are set off by association so: as you are rushing around shopping avoid passing your favorite ice cream shop, avoid fast-food restaurants especially with color red, eat a healthy meal before hitting the stores and bring snacks with you (bag nuts, fruit, veggies, etc), set new meal rituals (ie desserts after dinner??), find your triggers and avoid them when possible.
Delete the word “DIE”t and CHEATING from your vocabulary.
Curb cravings by:
- Never skipping a meal, eating lean protein, beans, fruit, veggies, healthy grains
- Keeping a journal of food triggers
- Being in the moment when eating (no tv, phones, etc and take 3 breaths between bites)
- Arrange a spa day
- Meet a friend for coffee.
- Reading/seeing a movie
- Walking, hiking or other form of exercising
- Out of sight out of mind-so buy a single sized item so you only eat one
Before going to a party:
+Never go hungry- have some nuts, fruit, veggies, broth-based soup, hard-boiled egg, hummus, lo-fat cheese or yogurt, vegetable juice or protein shake. Also, drink 1-2 glasses of water.
+Take a catnap to avoid being tired therefore overeating & craving.
+Add an extra cardio work-out that week.
+Eat healthfully the week before going to a party.
+Bring your own food or dessert that you can eat.
At the party:
+Choose a small plate and stroll around the buffet table to selectively choose your favorite must-have foods & desserts first. Then choose small portions of your favorite foods to taste only. (2 cupped handfuls) Fill ½ your plate with raw veggies to fill up on. Take a 20 minute break before refilling your plate. This will tell your brain you’re full so when you go back for seconds you will choose less high sugar/fat foods.
+If you don’t like a food you’re eating, don’t finish it.
+Chew slowly, really taste each bite and put your fork down regularly.
+Leave an empty space on your plate between each food item.
+Put everything you eat on a plate including that one piece of chocolate.
+Keep an arm’s distance or more from the food table when standing around talking.
+Focus on other things but food-conversation, music, dancing, games, etc
+Beverages: Drink them out of a tall slender glass, consider champagne vs wine or mixed drink, light beer, diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with a splash of cranberry juice and lemon.
During this holiday season:
+Black Friday: Begin a new tradition with your family or alone of some activity or exercise vs round 2 of holiday eating.
+Any activity is better than none. If you have no time for a 30-60 minute activity, do 10-15 minutes. Consider treadmill or biking while watching tv, walking the dog & listening to music/cd, cleaning the house while dancing and listening to music.
+Donate to a charity by giving money, clean out your closet and give away items you don’t need, volunteer your time, send care package to the soldiers overseas or provide a special dinner to a family in need.
+Keep healthy snacks around you at work to fill up on.
+Weigh yourself daily and zip into your favorite “skinny pants” weekly.
+As you cook, limit your “tastings”. Use ½ c agave nectar & ½ c sugar instead of 1 c sugar when baking.
+Create a “To-Do List” to keep your hands busy and avoid mindless munching.
+Have a support team. Reprogram the way you feel about food & give thanks.
+Keep baggies of cut up veggies and fruit in eyes view in your refrigerator.
+Cook larger volumes of food to have for the week (ie soups, stews)
+Choose one favorite “goodie” to have every day, so you don’t feel deprived.
You are entertaining…
+Write out your plan: your guest list, menu, etc.
+Ask guests to bring specific dishes, beverages, decorations, paper goods, etc
+Shop in advance and make as many dishes as possible in advance.
+Prepare dishes that support your nutritional needs.
+Do a practice run on a new dish ahead of time.
+Invite someone you know who will be alone to your dinner.
+Ask for family help to set table, cleaning, making place cards, folding napkins, etc.
+Before the meal have your guests share what they are each thankful for.
+Leave your turkey covered for 20 minutes to cool before slicing and get organized if doing a buffet.
+After the meal, clear the table, pack the food and give the food to guests.
+Plan other activities besides eating: share stories & knowledge, your hobby, take a walk with your guests, games, music, movie, etc.
Having anxiety with all the pressures?
+Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or Tapping or Psychological acupressure
helps relieve emotional traumas, phobias, food cravings and reduces pain:
+Take in a deep breath/ tune into your body/ think of a negative recurrent pattern or a stressful issue and rate it: 0-10 (10 is worst)
First say the below statement with filling in the blank below.
Even though I have this_______________________________
I deeply and completely accept myself.
Now continue by tapping the sides of your wrists saying the above statements, and continue tapping each of the areas below while repeating the above statements:
- Top head 6. Chin
- Eyebrows 7. Collar bone
- Side eyes 8. Under arms
- Under eyes 9. Wrists
- Under nose
When done, rate again from 0-10. If your new number is not about a 3, repeat above as needed to bring the number down to a 3 or lower.
Other Holiday Food for Thought:
+Eat 4-6 meals/day which normalizes cholesterol, blood sugar and cortisol levels.
+Eat high fiber foods and add prunes & dried fruit to stuffings, casseroles, etc.
+Make your own cranberry sauce to cut down on sugar.
+Add cauliflower to mashed potatoes instead of sour cream.
+Cut off the skin of the turkey and trim the fat off the gravy.
+Consider the 40-40-20 rule; 40% protein, 40% carbohydrate & 20% fat.
+Avoid artificial sweeteners.
+Eat 1/3 of your diet uncooked including fresh organic veggies. If organic is not possible, fill your sink with 4-8 oz of distilled vinegar & put the veggies in for 30 minutes, then rinse.
+Keep simple side dishes and snacks readily available and washed: celery, tomatoes, carrots, baby peppers, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, spinach, oranges, apples, baked sweet potato, steamed broccoli, plain yogurt, sautéed mushrooms, beans, mixed nuts, grilled chicken, cheese, olives and salads.
+Use cinnamon with food in coffee, apple cider, whole grain toast, oatmeal or yogurt.
