Eating habits During the Holidays

I have shared my knowledge, advice and tips on how to lead a healthy lifestyle for years. I’ve been in touch with many of you, I motivate, cheer, watch your makeovers with Diet & Training by Ann. I stay close. It is with you in mind that I constantly develop, gain knowledge and skills, perfect recipes and develop my app. There is one thing that has not changed for many years… holiday season is a challenge for all of us!

 

Tasty and… healthy?

Holidays are a time of relaxation with the family, rest, warmth… but also many temptations! You fight bad eating habits all year round, you care about improving your health and level of physical activity, you enjoy the results, but during holidays defense mechanisms weaken and overeating begins. Some people say that the best way to get rid of temptation is to give in to it ? That’s what holiday is for. I also eat what I want, but sensibly ?

I love holidays, both Easter and Christmas time. I look forward to those days spent with my loved ones. I love to cook, season, bake and, with the help of my loved ones, prepare holiday delicacies in new versions. Creating new recipes is definitely my hobby. Therefore, I also try to modify traditional dishes. While experimenting, I try to add a little more vegetables, fruit, healthy spices and replace some of the ingredients with their healthier counterparts. Remember that such small changes can really do a lot, and at the same time we can still enjoy the delicious taste of holiday dishes. Below you will find a few tips on what to do to make sure that your daily efforts to introduce healthy habits into your lifestyle are not wasted just because of several days of holiday ?

 

 

Healthy holidays – how to do it?

1. Add raw vegetables to each meal – the fiber they contain will keep you full. Additionally, you will provide your body with vitamins and minerals.

 

2. Use this time to eat dishes that are only available during the holidays, instead of reaching for bread, a larger portion of potatoes or chocolate, which you have easy access to all year round. Let the uniqueness of these magical days also be reflected on your plate.

 

3. Try to put small portions on your plate – I guarantee that this way you will find a place in your stomach for all the dishes and you will feel full, not stuffed. Try all dishes but in small amounts. As a result, you will not have to deny yourself your favorites and at the same time you can avoid unpleasant ailments related to the feeling of excessive fullness after meals.

 

4. Stay active between the meals – get away from the table, walk the dog, play with the kids, suggest a family walk. Use your free time and spend it on physical activity! Encourage your loved ones to do so – everyone will benefit from a bit of exercise ?

 

5. Improve digestive processes:

• eat in small bites and chew slowly;
• add a bit of caraway to heavy dishes;
• use healthy fats for frying and baking;
• during the day, drink green tea or warm lemon water;
• drink fennel tea after a heavy meal to aid digestion.

 

6. Drink lemon balm tea to calm the body down before going to bed.

 

7. Make sure that your menu does not lack healthy ingredients in between your main meals, such as a green smoothie for lunch.

 

8. Suggest to introduce cakes low in sugar – you can replace at least dome of it with xylitol. The taste will remain the same and the caloric content will be significantly reduced. Look for inspiration and recipes for cakes in a healthier version. You can get ideas e.g. from my blog (HERE).

 

9. If you know that some foods are no good for you (e.g. they cause heartburn, flatulence, gas), just avoid them and make sure that the table is full of dishes that your stomach tolerates better so that you can still enjoy the holidays.

 

10. Before holidays, follow a healthy, wholesome diet and find time for sports – thanks to this you will be sure that even 2 days of holidays will not spoil your efforts. Remember – holiday is a special time to enjoy. Don’t waste it on unnecessary remorse!

 

You may find yourself succumbing to holiday madness and eating much more than you actually planned. Stay calm! Celebrate and try everything, and if you need me, I will help you together with Diet & Training by Ann to build a list of new resolutions ? We will take care of your motivation to strive for health and better well-being by the end of the year… and even longer ? Let’s do it together!