Ask the Doctor: Holiday Eating
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 Question: Dear Dr. Harris, I have been doing well keeping myself and my family to the SuperFoodsRx Healthstyle. We’re all feeling the benefits. We’ve remained active despite the shorter days and cooler temperatures. I’m pleased with how things have been going, but I am thinking about this holiday season. I’ve got to attend four work-related holiday parties, and my husband’s job has us invited to two more. When I add family gatherings to the list, I’m up to my eyeballs in holiday food, drinks,and stress!. Do you have any advice for staying on track SuperFoodsRx-wise during the holidays?
Answer: This is a timely question. Everyone has trouble staying on track with healthy eating during the holidays, and making sure that the Holiday splurge doesn’t turn into a year long practice! The goods news is there are sane ways to approach holiday parties and holiday meals. I’ll divide my recommendations into two groups: things you can do during a party, and things you can do during the holiday season to keep up a healthy SuperFoodsRx lifestyle. Party Recommendations:
- Don’t starve yourself before a party. Stick to your healthy routine. This will help control your appetite and keep you from over-eating low nutrient, high calorie party foods.
- Make the party about friends and family, not eating. Remember what the holiday season is all about. And it’s not about over-eating!
- Remember serving sizes. A serving of nuts is a small handful, not many handfuls. You can enjoy all the goodies at the party but in moderate portions.
- If you are hungry, choose SuperFoods. Most parties have cut vegetables and healthy alternatives to cookies and candy.
- Skip the dip. Avoid dipping vegetables into any dips, dips are usually high in fat and calories.
- Stay hydrated. Thirst can be confused for hunger. Be sure to drink at least one full glass of water before beginning to eat anything.
- Do you really want that? Be mindful of what you are doing and what you are eating. Are you hungry? Are you just nervously snacking?
- Be gracious. Don’t make others feel self-conscious about what they are eating. Be sure to compliment the host on the party. Don’t make a big deal about avoiding the unhealthy parts of the buffet, instead say, "The food looks delicious."
Holiday Season Tips:
- Stay active. Make exercise a priority during the holidays. Exercise will keep your energy level high and keep your metabolism revved up. Exercise really helps deal with the holiday stress.
- Be sure to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep deprivation disrupts metabolism and being tired can lead to bad dietary choices. Many people find that they crave sugars and starches more when they are not getting enough sleep.
- Try to include 15 minutes of a stress reduction activity into your daily routine. Prayer, meditation, yoga, quiet personal time, or reading (not work-related!) can help focus your energies and relieve stress. Stress can lead to holiday over-eating.
- Be thankful. To help prevent emotional eating during the holidays try to focus on the positive aspects of your life. Start by making a list of the things for which you’re grateful. Keep the list where you can see it and add to it whenever you can.
- Enjoy your family and friends. Many of us use food to deal with anxiety, loss, or unhappiness. Eating is never the answer.
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Remember, holiday eating can be healthy, and holiday parties can be fun.
Happy Holidays! Hope this helps, Geoffrey R. Harris, MD |
Nutrition 
