Hyperventilating Through the Holidays

So, Hey – I’m not going to try to be all holier than thou and say that I never have a night where I just throw all the rules out the window and eat lots of food, have waaaay too much champagne and feel awful the next day.  I do.  And it’s so much fun!

Face it – going to a party, eating three radishes, drinking mineral water and talking to someone for three hours about their stamp collection is not only unrealistic, but can be super boring (unless you love stamps I suppose.)

The problem is, if you are a party girl/guy and throw the rules out the window at every party or event you go to (or go to every party you’re invited to for that matter) you’ll have a rear-end the size of Milwaukee and probably spend much of the holiday season feeling lethargic and a bit down in the dumps (especially after the tree is out by the curb and you’re left with a few extra pounds – 5-10 pounds gained is about average.)

So, what’s a girl or boy to do?  Keep it balanced, follow a couple guidelines on diet and lifestyle (below) and you can have a great holiday season…and not have to resort to a stringent and unrealistic New Year’s resolution in January.

Crowd out bad food with nutritious foods – Start your day by eating satisfying and filling foods for breakfast and lunch (which includes proteins and fats – did I mention that I love butter and don’t think it’s so bad for you…and in fact, can be good for you?)  Later in the day and before you go to a party, eat a healthy snack (like raw walnuts and raisins or carrots and hummus.)  By eating the majority of your food early in the day you won’t be as hungry and will have more control over your cravings.

You can also try my “pack it in” brunch buffet strategy…avoid starchy carbs, sugars and bread in the first half of brunch or the cocktail party.  Reach for vegetables, fruit, proteins and then dig in to the doughy, sugary stuff.  You’ll be surprised that you have less room for it and won’t want as much.

Be naughty AND nice– This is kindof along the lines of “crowding out”… If you are going to be “bad” (and c’mon you know you’re gonna be) really savor and enjoy the treat, do so in moderation and most importantly do so free of guilt – I mean, really, isn’t there enough guilt out there?  Make sure you balance things out by eating some vegetable crudités and drinking water (along with your highball) at the party and increase healthy, nutritious foods during the day.

In short, have fun!  Don’t deny yourself all the goodies out there – Eat, drink, celebrate, but just make sure you eat good stuff too.  My secret weapon is to eat a large serving of greens every single day, this way I know I’m getting something good in me while also indulging in all the Holidays have to offer.

Just say no – Can’t handle the thought of spending another year going to a party you just don’t enjoy? Prioritize (with your significant other if you are attached) what you really want to do and what you absolutely feel you must do.  You don’t have to accept every invite – pick and choose the things that really matter to you and then spend the free time on yourself.   Sure you’re going to hurt some feelings, but as a result you will feel more rested, happy, in control and less resentful of others.

In fact, this year my husband and I have decided to take a pass on all holiday parties (except for his company party and family Christmas festivities) and I have to tell you it is liberating!  If you need to pass on a friend’s party that you care for, then do something together in January (like invite them over for some cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.)

Beat the sugar blues – The highs and lows of the sugar rollercoaster leaves your body exhausted. But don’t resist your body’s natural craving for sugar, instead choose healthier, more nutritious sweet foods. Try incorporating fruit and sweet vegetables (sweet potatoes, squashes, carrots) into your diet and sweeten foods and drinks with raw Agave Nectar, a natural sweetener, which does not affect your body’s blood sugar as refined sugar does.  Or have turbinado or rapadura sugar (especially in recipes), which is raw sugar that has not had its’ nutrients stripped away and is therefore not as harsh on your body.

By having more nutritious sugars you’ll crave empty, sugary, sweets less.  But I still highly recommend having some of your favorite sweets in moderation – I mean, what are the Holidays without mom’s famous pecan pumpkin pie? Just don’t have 4 pieces.

Sleep more efficiently – We tend to succumb to cravings and get stressed out when we neglect our sleep.  Make a promise to yourself to get enough sleep by winding down early so that you can be in bed by 10:00 or 10:30 PM at least a few nights a week.   The most restorative time for our bodies is between 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM so make sure you take advantage of it.

Reboot yourself – The demands of life during the holiday can be overwhelming so get away from it all…at least for 15 minutes. Get up from your desk and go for a walk, sit quietly with some tea somewhere you won’t be interrupted.  By just investing a little bit of time in yourself you will have more energy and enthusiasm for your personal, professional and holiday demands.

Chew Each Bite 30 Times – When I tell my clients this little tip, they think I’m crazy.  But it really ends up making people realize that they totally wolf down their food in a few bites and don’t savor it at all. This makes us forget that we even ate it and makes us want more (especially if you’re on the phone, on the computer etc. and your focus is not on your food.)

So in short – SLOW DOWN.  Chew each bite of food 30 times, pretend you’re napalming it with your saliva as you chew and let it dissolve in your mouth before you swallow it.  You will enjoy your food so much more and you’ll eat less.  By chewing your food well and breaking it down before it even gets to your stomach it’s easier for your body to break down the food and get the nutrients it needs.  An added bonus:  you really start to slow down in other areas of your life – try it!

So with that, I best get started on my Christmas shopping which I haven’t even started yet!  By just making a few small changes you can have a more relaxing, fun and healthy holiday season. Oh, and don’t forget to allow yourself to throw all the rules out the window once in a while – it is the Holidays after all!

Have a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah and a happy, healthy New Year!  I’ll be back in January with some New Year’s resolution tips.

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Ingrid is a board certified holistic health counselor and the founder of Full Life Nutrition LLC.  She received her training at Columbia University and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and is a member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).