HOLIDAY NUTRITION GUIDE
The holiday season has arrived!
Along with merry and joy, this time of year also brings chaos and obligations that can disrupt our focus on healthy eating and fitness.
Do your best to workout as often as you can, and aim to eat healthy, home-cooked balanced meals while not attending a holiday gathering.
This will lessen the effect of indulging at holiday parties, and help you to stay on track toward your goals so you are not having to work double to undo damage from the holidays.
Here are some easy tips to follow to help prevent additional holiday weight gain:
Prioritize PROTEIN! Protein is the most important nutrient for increasing lean muscle and also for losing body fat.
Drink plenty of water. Water can be harder to drink while the weather is cooler outside, but make sure to get enough water! Make it a habit to carry your water everywhere and sip on it constantly.
Get in at least 25g of fiber/ day to aid with digestion and stabilizing blood sugar.
Healthy fats. Focus on plant-based fats (unsaturated fats). These are necessary for hormone health, energy levels, vitamin absorption, and joints.
Complex carbs. Aim to eat complex carbs rather than simple carbs such as sugars. You can enjoy more carbs on days you lift weights.
Limit sugars and simple carbs if you are drinking alcohol - alcohol acts as a carb (kind of). Remember alcohol has 7 calories/ gram without any mixers. Make sure to eat a balanced meal of protein and some complex carbs and healthy fats before drinking alcohol.
Save alcohol for parties and social gatherings if any.
Limit sugars overall
It is best to eat 3-5 small meals/ day to help with stabilizing blood sugar and also curb hunger cravings. If you go too long without eating, you are more likely to choose something unhealthy.
Warm crockpot recipes and chilis are an easy way to meal prep and great for this weather!
Eat until you are about 80% full; do not eat to the point of being stuffed.
If you are still hungry, you probably need to eat a little more and that is ok! This especially happens with lifting weights as those growing muscles need fuel.
Going on a walk after your meal (especially dinner) is fantastic to aid with digestion and lower blood sugar levels.
Below are a few info-graphs on how to build a healthy plate:
Of course tracking your food intake and calories is always best, but following this guideline will be much better than not following anything at all.
