Y
ou don’t have to go far to be tempted by some form of advertising suggesting that you should treat yourself to a sweet treat, especially this time of year. I usually notice the constant exposure to these “food cues”, but it’s especially apparent during the holidays. We make more than 200 food-related decisions each day, and we’re unaware of most of them! I recently went to finish up my Christmas shopping and lost count of all times I was prompted to eat.
Often, people explain that they were doing so well with their “diet” until the holidays came and it threw them off track. So, why does this happen? It happens for many reasons, and it is a different story for each of us. For one, we are constantly exposed to food cues that we may not even be aware of. Essentially, you are having to walk around saying “no” to temptations over and over again! These temptations may also be treats that aren’t readily available all year long, making them that much more appealing. Also, we may think that since this season only happens once a year, we deserve to treat ourselves and if we don’t, perhaps we will miss out. We may let ourselves have complete freedom and promise ourselves we will get right back on track in the New Year and lose any weight we gained during the holidays. The problem is, these thoughts can turn into unhealthy habits and work against us not only during the holiday season, but all year long. Here are my top tips for a healthy holidays.
1.) Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. If you have a treat (as you should every once in a while) don’t be hard on yourself and decide that you may as well overindulge for the remainder of the day, or week, and wait to get back on track until you can be perfect. The truth is, we are all human and we can’t be perfect.
2.) Find healthier alternatives to your favourite treats, but still pay attention to portions. Sometimes we make healthier versions of our favourite holiday dishes which is a great idea, but remember this doesn’t mean we should eat three times as much!
3.) Have the treats that are worth it. Pick your favourite and if you can “take it or leave it,” then leave it!
4.) Plan non-food focused activities to spend quality time with family and friends. You get bonus points if it is something that incorporates exercise like walking, snowshoeing, or skating.
Katie Huston is a local registered dietitian.
