Healthy Holidays: 5 Tips for Staying on Track with Eating Goals

We’re entering the season of food and festivities. People who are working to lose weight and improve their wellness often struggle with staying on track this time of year. And that is completely expected, says Carey Grieves, a Certified Health Coach with the ThedaCare Weight Wellness Solutions program.

Grieves is fond of the phrase, “Let’s head west.”

“West isn’t a ‘place’ rather a direction that we’re moving toward,” she says. “There is no ‘I’m done’ to our health goals. We’re always maintaining them or seeing what’s potentially new for us to explore. We’re never going to get ‘there,’ but it also takes off the pressure because it’s just a general direction that we’re wanting to get to. Get off track, get back on to ‘heading west.’”

When it comes to the holidays, Grieves shares a specific set of tips with her clients. Above all, she emphasizes the need for self-awareness and self-compassion.

5 Strategies for Navigating Holiday Eating

1. Think ahead

Added responsibilities like meal prep, gift-giving and a full social calendar often translate into increased stress during the holidays.

“Many people don’t realize how stress really can negatively impact what we eat, our physical activity and our sleep,” Grieves says.

It’s good to stop and become aware of this added mental load and how it may affect you.

“Things hardly ever go exactly as planned, but don’t use all-or-nothing thinking,” Grieves says.
“If one thing fails or frustrates you, all is not lost. Stay curious and ask yourself how you can get back on track with your health goals.”

2. Shift the focus

Food is a source of nourishment and connection. Be intentional about how quickly you eat. Grieves recommends taking a bite, setting down your fork, chewing slowly and only picking up your fork again when your mouth is empty. You’ll taste and appreciate your food more, eat less and enjoy the opportunity to interact with people around you.

Without awareness, many people tend to gravitate toward the food and park themselves there. Standing next to the appetizers leads to mindless nibbling, just as lingering at the table leads to unnecessary second helpings. Instead, make it a priority to catch up with others, play a board game or even go for short walk.

3. Choose carefully

Grieves suggests scanning the buffet before you pick up your empty plate. The purpose is to choose special foods that come around only during the holidays.

“Do you really need that regular old dinner roll on your plate? You can get that anytime. Skip it and take a helping of something you don’t want to miss,” she says.

4. Avoid pitfalls

Exercise caution with alcohol. People who imbibe are drinking empty calories and often added sugar. Alcohol itself also often causes people to eat more. Grieves suggests planning ahead to limit alcohol intake, or skip it completely.

“If having one drink inevitably leads to having more, choose non-alcoholic options,” she says. “You’ll sleep better at night because one poor decision didn’t turn into many more.”

Don’t get talked into taking home large plates of leftovers if you know they won’t jive with your wellness goals.

“People may tell you not to waste food, but you have your own ‘waist’ to think about,” Grieves says. “Remember, you know yourself best.”

5. Give grace

Giving yourself grace is all about showing yourself self-compassion and kindness. It’s forgiving and accepting yourself even in the hard moments.

“If you have times when you overeat or make bad choices during the holidays, speed through them and get back on track as soon as you can,” Grieves says. “Stay curious and keep heading west!”

Connect to Care

If you’re like many, you may find you need extra support as you work toward attaining sustainable weight loss and adopting healthy habits.

ThedaCare Weight Wellness Solutions offers a complete team of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, dietitians, exercise physiologists, health coaches and other experts. They work together to help people achieve and maintain their weight loss goals.