Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is a practice that focuses on immersing oneself in the experience of eating and paying close attention to your body’s cues regarding hunger and fullness. With some practice, mindful eating can replace holiday diets and restrictions. Telling yourself “I can’t eat that” or “I can only have a little bit of this” is hard and often leads to failure. This holiday season, try to employ the principles of mindful eating instead for a happy and healthy holiday season. Start with these three practices and build on your success during the New Year!
1. Before eating, take a minute to ask yourself if you are truly hungry. If you just saw a dish that looked appealing, wait until you feel hungry then go back for it.
2. Eat slowly and focus on enjoying every bite of your food. Try to taste all the flavors, spices, and seasonings. Consider the food’s texture and mouthfeel. Think about why you like the food and how you might include its characteristics in your culinary repertoire.
3. Focus on your body’s signals for feeling full. Give yourself 10-20 minutes between helpings to assess whether or not you are hungry for more. Stop eating when you feel full and you might be surprised at how satisfied you are with the meal.
Read more about mindful eating here!
Try a New Tradition
The Holidays are filled with fun and special traditions. Many of these traditions revolve around food and spending time relaxing with family and friends. Starting a new fitness-focused holiday tradition can allow you to enjoy the activities you always do and drop the not-so-fun tradition of holiday weight gain! Put a new spin on the “12 Days of Christmas” with this family-friendly workout I adapted from jessicavanden.com, self.com, and iliveitfit.com. If you do not celebrate Christmas, think it as the 12 Days of Fitness! The exercises don’t require any equipment so gather your family in the living room or the basement and get to it! Do Exercise 1 on Day 1, then Exercise 2 + Exercise 1 on Day 2, then Exercise 3 + Exercise 2 + Exercise 1 on Day 3, and so on until you have the whole family breaking a sweat on Christmas Day!
Day 1: 10 Jumping Jacks
Day 2: 8 Bodyweight Squats
Day 3: 8 Push Ups
Day 4: 10 Hip Raises
Day 5: 10 Ab Crunches
Day 6: 6 Lunges (each leg)
Day 7: 10 Russian Twists
Day 8: 10 Calf Raises
Day 9: 8 Supermans
Day 10: 8 Mountain Climbers (each leg)
Day 11: 8 Leg Lifts
Day 12: 5 Burpees
F
or all of the baking fun and none of the calories, try this recipe for Non-Edible Cinnamon Ornaments. I made these with my grandma when I was in elementary school and they still make an annual appearance on her Christmas tree (and still smell good too)!
Plan for the Party
Holiday parties are often the culprit behind poor food choices and unwanted weight gain. Planning ahead will help you enjoy all of your parties without going overboard. Try eating a meal that promotes satiety shortly before you head to the party. Include lean protein and fiber to keep you feeling full all night! 
Remember, lean protein is found primarily in poultry, fish, legumes, eggs, and low-fat dairy products. Fiber is found in fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. Try oatmeal with skim milk and blueberries, black beans and brown rice with a mixed greens salad and low-fat dressing, or a tuna sandwich with spinach on whole wheat bread. If you do feel hungry later in the night, enjoy a smaller portion and remember the mindful eating tips! Also, remember to check beforehand with the party host or catering company regarding food allergies and intolerances to avoid any incidents during the celebration.
Try these tips during the holiday season and talk to your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist about implementing them all year long. No matter what you and your family celebrate, here’s wishing it’s a happy and healthy holiday season!
By Brian Behring
Graduate Student, Drexel University
MS In Human Nutrition