7 Strategies to Make Holidays Healthier & More Enjoyable
Would you like to enjoy your food more during the upcoming holiday? Smaller portions with more satisfaction — is easier than you think. And who doesn't want more enjoyment?
Adding strategies, such as smaller plates and chewing thoroughly, "tricks" your brain into being MORE satisfied! And no, I don't want you to chew a certain number of times. That's not enjoying your food! But do chew your food completely before swallowing. Lose the guilt and enjoy your holiday meal even more this year by following these simple strategies.
Holiday Meal Strategies
1️⃣ Look over all of your food choices BEFORE you dish up your plate.
2️⃣ Use the smallest plate available (don't worry, you can go back for more, but your brain sees a full plate as more food even if you know it's less).
3️⃣ Fill HALF your plate with vegetables and your 3 favorite foods first.
4️⃣ Take SMALL bites. If the foods are in individual pieces (like nuts), eat one piece at a time.
5️⃣ Pay attention to WHEN you actually swallow and don't swallow before your bite is COMPLETELY chewed. Make sure you've completely chewed and swallowed before you take your next bite.
6️⃣ ENJOY every morsel without guilt!
7️⃣ WAIT a little bit before going back for more if you are so inclined.
Give yourself permission to eat when you are hungry. But do pay attention to your body's hunger and full signals and take a break when you're not really hungry. Don't eat just because there is more to eat. Eating on a smaller plate or out of a smaller bowl allows you to have the option to dish up more food without having more than you might eat already on your plate.
The food will actually taste better and be more enjoyable when you're hungry — the same is true when you chew each bite completely before swallowing! It's not about skipping food altogether. It's more about eating slower when you're hungry so you can enjoy your food more and give your brain more time to register that you're full. So if you're full, eat later when you are hungrier and enjoy your food more!
The 12 Fixes to Healthy Challenge Program:
These strategies are part of my 12 Fixes to Healthy Challenge Program, which helps group members make healthier choices easier. Of course, there is a lot more programming in the Challenge Program, but these strategies above can help anyone eat healthier during the holidays while feeling more satisfied with less food. This 12-Fix Challenge Program integrates a Mediterranean dietary pattern and whole-food lifestyle and stresses the importance of food timing, gut health, the newest protein science, fitness, sleep, eating ergonomics, and mindfulness all in one place.
A registered dietitian nutritionist leads groups in implementing 12 health-promoting behaviors, or what I call Fixes, using the 12 Fixes to Healthy book and the challenge feature in the 12 Fixes app. Together, the participants focus on just one Fix and continue to add each of the 12 Fixes one at a time as the challenge progresses over 12 weeks, allowing participants time to concentrate and find ways to make these Fixes work in their lives.
In addition, a core principle of this Challenge Program is that it helps people adopt these 12 changes sustainably. In fact, 98% of participants continue following newly adopted Fixes after completing the program.
Contact me to learn more about the 12-Fix Program and how it can help you. Email me or schedule a few minutes to connect. If you’re a dietitian interested in offering the 12-Fix Program to your clients, let’s talk!
