Whether you celebrate Easter, Passover, or something else entirely, the spring holidays are upon us. Time off from work, gathering with family and friends, and food-centered traditions are all things to celebrate, and enjoy. But don’t lose sight of your health goals along the way. Here are some tips from our team of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), meant to help you enjoy this season AND stay on track!
Top Holiday Tips from our RDNs…
- Get at least 30 minutes of activity per day. Find a work out buddy, or exercise with family! Head outside for a hike, a bike ride, a jog, a walk, or go roller blading. There are endless possibilities.
- Prep special holiday meals with family or friends. This makes the process more enjoyable and prevents mindless tasting.
- Focus on homemade foods vs. processed foods, and on foods you can only get this time of year.
- Never show up empty handed! Bring a healthy dish you love to a gathering to give yourself options. Need ideas? Check out recipes on the Anderson’s Nutrition blog.
- Aim for making half of what you eat fruits and veggies. Example: use half veggies instead of chips in dips. Get creative.
- Don’t skimp on sleep! Prioritize quality sleep. It matters!
- When at a party, alternate water in between alcoholic beverages. (Or better yet, skip the alcohol altogether.)
- When heading to a gathering, bring a fruit or veggie tray so you know there is something healthy for you (and other guests) to snack on.
- Make that fruit or veggie tray appealing! cut veggies into smaller, more bit-sized pieces and put them on a pretty tray; cut fruit into bite-sized pieces and make cute fruit kabobs.
- Have a small amount of protein with a carb before going to a party so you don’t show up starving.
- Survey the buffet and/or dessert table and decide what is worth it, and what you are ok skipping.
- Don’t end up next to the food; position yourself across the room or outside to minimize mindless eating.
- Chew slowly! Try to really taste and savor every single bite.
- Hydrate! Drink more water before a meal, during a meal, after a meal, between meals. For more on hydration, click here to read our blog post with tips and tricks for staying hydrated.
- Don’t skip meals to leave “more room” for other meals. This can lead to overeating because you let yourself get too hungry.
- Check in with yourself about hunger and fullness throughout the day to minimize mindless eating.
- Ask ahead of time what the food situation will look like so you can mentally prepare/plan what you may want to have.
- When indulging in a treat, slow down and truly enjoy it! Let go of feelings of guilt or failure. They aren’t necessary and they lead to needless stress and worry.
And our best tip of all: Don’t worry about calories. Enjoy spending time with the people you love. Celebrate the joy of this season, eat what you love, and love yourself for nourishing your body.
Want more real-world tips like these? Schedule an appointment with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist from Anderson’s Nutrition.
