Many people who have been consciously making efforts to eat healthier over the year often have some hesitations on how to approach the holidays.
I get asked this a lot: “how do I tackle the holidays”? I want to share this post to provide the tips I give to my patients, and hope this can help you stay on track but also enjoy this time of celebration and rest!
1. Mentally Plan Out Your Celebration Meals
The most important strategy is to have a plan of action. If you know aunt Susan is bringing her famous decadent chocolate mousse cake, and you look forward to it every year, plan to have it! By knowing that is something you want to have will help you make decisions about other foods and beverages that night.
2. Balance Your Plate
A great way to portion control and ensure good nutrition despite all the yummy foods and perhaps slightly richer dishes is to make sure we’re sticking to the Balanced Plate. Use the “1/2 plate of veggies, 1/4 plate starches, and 1/4 plate proteins” as a good tool.
3. Aim to stick to 1 plate of food
With a plan to only use 1 plate (no seconds) for your meal, make room for all the foods you want to eat. Leave a small amount of room for dessert if you’ve decided to enjoy some dessert. But making sure that everything is on your plate before you start eating and/or making mental notes of where everything will go to fit onto one plate will help you control your portions.
4. Enjoy Alcohol Responsibly
Enjoying alcohol during a holiday party is very common, and may be something you wish to do. Consider how much and what kinds of drinks you’d like to enjoy, and make sure there is a designated driver if you intend to drink alcohol.
Hope you enjoy your holiday parties and gatherings safely, and in a prepared way so that you feel you’ve met your own realistic expectations!
Function of Food 
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