How to Prevent Stress Eating During the Holidays

The holidays can be a great time of joy for many. But for others, they are filled with anxiety and stress. Sometimes, even for those that love the family get-togethers, the stress of holiday shopping, finances, and hosting relatives can tear them apart. When stress hits at this time of year, it’s easy to turn to that tray of cookies for moral support. After all, cookies won’t criticize you about your life choices the way your family will.

But that’s not healthy and you know it. Plus, you’ll feel even less joy when you realize you’ve undone the whole year’s worth of fitness you’ve worked so hard for. If you find the holidays cause you to gobble down more than you should as a way to cope with the stress, we present to you these 5 ways to stop the stress eating before the first tray of cookies is trotted out to the company break room.

Be active

When your boss announces there are no bonus checks this Christmas or your mom says you’re still single because one of your nails on your manicure is chipped, instead of reaching for the holiday goodies, get outside in the fresh air for a walk, hit the gym, chase your kids in the yard, or just do something physical that appeals to you.

You’ll release the stress and the exercise will help release the proper chemicals in your brain to make you feel better.

Workout your mind

The brain needs exercise too. Instead of letting it harp on the negative things that cause you to stress-eat, give it something constructive to do. Take 10 to 20 minutes to yourself to read something you want to read, work on a crossword puzzle or do something else that stimulates your mind in an enjoyable way. It will help you feel refreshed.

Focus on healthy eating

While it’s true that the holidays are certainly a time for more indulgent meals, when you focus on your healthy eating prior to the big family dinners, it won’t be such a shock to your waistline. Make sure you’re eating meals as you would normally without skipping them. If you starve yourself all day because your job or your family (or both!) is making you nuts, you’re more prone to stuffing yourself at dinner with things that aren’t very healthful.

Practice moderation

Yes, there are certainly foods we only get to enjoy during this time of year like holiday cookies and cakes. But again, eating all of them isn’t going to do any good. So indulge mindfully and moderately. If you always look forward to your sister’s famous pecan pie, then focus on eating that when the time comes and say no to treats that aren’t as delicious like boxed cookies.

Forgive yourself

No one is perfect so if you find you caved in to peer pressure at work and ate treats you promised yourself you wouldn’t, forgive yourself and move on. Make the next thing you eat healthy and get moving on your exercise. But above all, keep your head up because that is the key to getting through the stress of the holiday season.

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How to Effortlessly Add Healthy Benefits to Your Holiday Dishes

The holidays are here, and it is time to savor all the joy they bring --friends, family, meals together, giving & gratitude. Of course, along with them are hearty dishes and sweets that can certainly wreak havoc on our bodies. Casseroles laden with cream, sugary cakes and cookies, and other tempting empty calorie bombs will adorn the dining tables we surround. Unless we do something about it, that is! 

But how can you make healthy decisions during the season of eating; especially, without anyone noticing? Well, I have a few of my favorite tricks to share with you that I use each season, and the best part is, nobody ever notices. 

My favorite ways to sneak healthy goodies into my meals are...

Go for bone broth or herbal teas

When you roast or poach food, make soups or stews, or even for your gravy, use something that gives you a boost of health instead of canned sodium-riddled broth or plain water. Using bone broth will add more depth of flavor, and it will provide you with healthy immune boosting properties. You could also try herbal teas like ginger tea or green tea that will add a light flavor and add more antioxidants for better health.

Sprinkle in some turmeric

Turmeric is a naturally powerful anti-inflammatory that is filled with antioxidants. It is related to ginger and looks quite similar to a ginger root, and is most easily consumed in dried form. You can sneak it into dishes by sprinkling it in and enjoy the benefits it brings. Add just a little bit to your sweet potatoes, salad dressings, and dips. Go easy on it since the flavor can be strong to those that aren’t used to it.

Use sweet alternatives

Don't worry --I'm not suggesting you do away with your dessert table altogether, but those unrefined sugars are what we are trying to avoid. If you swap out the unhealthy stuff for a natural sweetener that is a better option, you’ll still get the sweet tastes everyone loves without the slew of chemicals. Try raw organic honey. Local honey is best, which can typically be found at your local health food store. You can also look for coconut sugar or coconut syrup, or even use dates.

Freshen up flavors with fresh herbs

Fresh herbs add a new dimension of taste to your dishes without adding fat and calories. Plus, they naturally have their own benefits from adding more antioxidants to reducing inflammation. Experiment with your favorite ones to add more zing to your mashed potatoes or liven up your veggies.

The holidays don’t have to be so heavy on the unhealthy items; particularly, when you use these simple tricks for making your favorite holiday dishes healthier. Happy Holidays!

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