Navigating Nutrition: Holiday Edition
We’ve all been there - sitting around the table with family and friends, scrumptious foods sending wafts of tantalizing scents through the air, wondering how many servings of each dish we’d like, which items to place where on our plates, and how to make the most of the holiday season.
Then the thought crosses our minds…"What if this derails my health goals? But won’t someone be offended if I don’t try their dessert??"
Over the years working with clients - from athletes to grandparents and every age and fitness level in between - I’ve noticed a trend that spans all generations. Starting in October, candy is foist upon the American population in preparation for Halloween. Then comes November, with pumpkin spice everything - in addition to luscious pies, cakes, and every known delectable one can concoct for Thanksgiving day. We head into Christmas, with all the frosted cookies loaded on plates from friends and neighbors, then to the New Years’ celebration with a myriad of cuisines and traditions rolled into one big celebration.
Then it happens - New Years’ Resolutions.
No caffeine! No sugar! Dry January! Keto diets! Exercise regiments! The list goes on…but give it 3 weeks, and the determination is gone and the “spare tire” is here to stay along with a nagging cough that started with a cold you caught from Aunt Ruth at Thanksgiving, and has since become a lingering upper respiratory infection that refuses to go away.
Believe it or not, it all started in October.
A nutrition reset can be helpful, but only if treated as a way to create a new lifestyle that’s in-tune with your body’s needs. If it becomes a yo-yo dieting protocol, then it is truly a waste of your time, and could be causing health issues physically and psychologically.
OCTOBER
This month is simple - (a) build each plate for your 3 meals around protein, (b) keep treats to once a week. That’s it! See below for more insight on how to do this, otherwise, scroll down to November’s tips.
IDEAS:
Breakfast - Eggs, an item with whole grains (my parents are partial to 1 piece of sourdough bread with almond butter, but a small bowl of oatmeal would do nicely as well), a glass of water to start the day.
Lunch - Leftover chicken breasts tossed with spices and added to a robust salad with apples, walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette, mixed greens, goat cheese, chased down by another glass of water.
Dinner - Roast beef that’s cooked in the crockpot all day, potatoes crisp from the air-fryer, and oven roasted broccoli and cauliflower, check all the boxes while being hearty enough to provide enough carbs for a good night’s sleep.
RECIPES:
We are HUGE fans of the Real Food Dietitians! Click here for their website.
NOVEMBER
This is the only month with a suggested food elimination challenge - we like to do “No (Added) Sugar November” each year in preparation for all the holidays. Not only is it a super attainable goal, BUT, it also makes us more sensitive to sugar, so a small sweet eaten on Thanksgiving day feels adequate and satisfying, rather than feeling like we need several slices of each dessert from the table.
TIPS:
(1) Start the challenge Nov. 1, end it on Thanksgiving Day.
(2) Remember that fresh fruit is always good. Don’t believe the Instagram influencers!
(3) READ ALL LABELS. If your food has a label, read it. Know what each item means, and don’t obsess over it, but if it includes added sugars, place it back on the shelf for the time being.
(4) If you’re craving a specific food/food group, you might need more nutrients.
(5) Don’t wear your heart on your sleeve this month! If you’ve chosen to complete this challenge, do so cheerfully, realizing that you are responsible for your health and you are taking it seriously. You got this!
RECIPES:
Whole foods (meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains) are always added sugar free, but if you’re feeling stuck, click here for ideas on what to make for dinner!
DECEMBER
This is is our favorite holiday, being that the focus is on Jesus’ birth and the beautiful sacrifice He made, coming to earth to give His life for us. So we like to honor that by being grateful in everything we do, especially when it comes to food. So this month we hope you’ll eat mindfully - balanced plates, grateful hearts, coupled with an outward objective.
TIPS:
(1) If you know of an elderly person in your neighborhood, consider saving one portion of a meal the 4 weeks leading up to Christmas. Place it in a freezer-safe container, then on Christmas eve, bring all the meals to their house so they can enjoy home-cooked meals for days to follow.
(2) Invite a friend from the community (i.e. church, the gym, local co-op or school, sports team, etc.) for dinner and a movie night. You never know who might feel lonely during the holidays due to lost loved ones or seasonal depression. Sometimes all it takes is an invitation to someone’s home to feel loved and seen.
(3) Instead of gifting a plate of cookies, consider putting together quart jars of ready-to-make soups! It’s easy, fun to make, and looks pretty as well.
We hope you have a wonderful end to 2025, and we’ll see you for the New Year in 2026!