Healthy Holiday Tips

Holidays are usually full of people, sounds, smells, and lots of expectation.
Having a healthy holiday for me means coming out the other side refreshed
and reflective. But let’s face it, being parents during the holidays is like going
on “vacation” with the kids, the expectation is actually exhaustion and stress.
It’s a shame really, and this year I’m fighting the inevitable with some mental,
spiritual, and physical holiday health tips.

1.Don’t try to lose weight during the holidays. It’s like going to a wake and
trying to stay sober. It isn’t that you can’t do it, but I’m 99% sure you can’t do it.
Just aim not to gain.

2. Eat lots of healthy “fillers” before the main course. Fillers are foods high in fiber.
Lucky for us, collard greens, mustard greens, kale and a host of other dark leafy
greens are still growing as we speak. Eat your colorful salads and fresh veggies
without the dips and sauces, to leave less room for the higher calorie
(unnecessary energy) foods.

3. Limit your beverages. Especially with alcohol, drinks hide a host of calories
and fail to fill. Choose water or tea now and then.

4. Have one, not three. ‘Nuff said.

5. Plan to indulge. Don’t let holiday treats sneak up on you. There will be treats at
Mom’s house, treats at the office, treats at the holiday parties, not to mention the
treats you bring into the house. Choose a few place you plan to indulge and plan
on healthy choices at the other events.

6. When in doubt, less bread, more vegetables, less salt, more spices.

7. Eat hearty meals and avoid snacking.

8. Eat a fine breakfast.

9. Shop in the early morning with your whole brain. Stock your fridge and pantry
with healthy, delicious options like sweet fruits, cheesy eggs, and toastable,
crunchy whole grains and nuts.

10. Eat before you depart. Headed out for some holiday merry-making?
Eat a healthy snack before you go to avoid noisy, distracted overeating.

11. Start your day out with a large glass of clean, cool water, and carry your water
bottle with you when you leave the house. Aim for ½ to a gallon of water, daily.
Your body will thank you.

12. Remember, it takes 3500 extra calories to gain one pound. Before you think
that sounds like a lot of calories and breath a sigh of relief, let me also remind you
how easy it is to reach that number (especially in the sugary, buttery, saucy holiday
throes) so you can plan accordingly. Keep in mind that these numbers are for single
servings.

6 oz. red wine- 145 kcal

Bottle of beer- 154 kcal

Piece of pizza- 285 kcal

Piece of pumpkin pie- 323 kcal

Gingerbread cookie- 101 kcal

Brownie- 132 kcal

One cup of mashed potatoes- 214 kcal

No need to obsess, but take responsibility for what you are eating, even
during the holidays. If you don’t know the energy value of your meals, find out.
It’s never been easier to educate yourself.

13. Buffet? Choose a small plate.

14. Choose hot beverages that take time to finish.

15. Eat mindfully, using all of your senses.

16. Pay careful attention to the feeling of fullness.

17. Pause before eating to take a deep breath and give thanks. Food is a gift.

18. Don’t multitask during meals. Eating is important and should have your full attention and intention to be enjoyed with people who are important to you.

19. Ditch distracting and detracting technology, especially during meals.

20. Consider early to bed and early to rise. This is the best way to get in personal time during the busyness of holidaying.

21. Say “no” to some invitations and events in favor of important family or personal time.

22. Add relaxing things to your “to-do” list. Purposefully do less (“have a cup of hot tea and contemplate the coming months”).

23. Reset for the new year. Set your sights ahead.

24. Underschedule yourself.

25. Schedule in special one-on-one time with each of your kids.

26. Schedule your workouts.

27. Walk, hike, and play active games with family and friends every day.

28. Get outside every day.

29. Try to rise before the sun every day and catch the first rays.

30. Laugh it up. Watch funny movies, play funny games. Laughter is one of the best stress-relievers out there, it’s free, and anyone can do it.

31. Smell citrusy smells. Enhance your mood and manage stress by diffusing essential oils in your home.

32. Don’t shoot for perfection, shoot for simplicity.

33. Turn up the tunes. Listen to an array of music. Music that makes you dance, relax, and sing.

34. Get intimate. Reconnect with your spouse by scheduling (if necessary) special time. This is also a great stress reliever and a wonderful way to start out the new year. Most people don’t think of sex this way, but a solid marriage bond is one of the best things you can do for your kids.

35. Don’t try to please everyone. There are some people in your life who are priorities, and you are duty-bound to serve them first. Don’t fuss over the others.

36. Forget the negatives of the past.

37. Don’t over-think it.

Parents, I know it feels necessary for survival sometimes, but try to turn off the
autopilot and be present and in the moment this season. Not only will you be
opening yourself to forging stronger bonds with your family, but you will recenter
yourself.

The goal this season is to enter and exit with our mind’s eye wide open. Insist on
personal time to seek silence and prayer. Pray for your children, pray for your
spouse, pray for the world (Divine Mercy Chaplet). Don’t underestimate the
importance of your own mental and spiritual health.
Give your best self to your family this year.

Mother and Child Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash
Toast and Tea Photo by Brenda Godinez on Unsplash 
Rosary Photo by Fischer Twins on Unsplash
CitrusPhoto by Israel Egío on Unsplash 
Christmas Coffee Photo by Mira Bozhko on Unsplash

The Diet No One Wants to Hear About

I’ve started and stopped this post several times. The truth is, I don’t like talking about food and telling other people what I think they should eat. Its personal, and I am not a nutritionist. What you eat and how much and why is a big part of your own journey. What serves you may not serve others in the same way.

Folks trying to lose fat, build muscle, or conquer some new feat don’t really want to hear that. I don’t want to hear that. I’d rather there be a clear answer to my important question, darnit. But before we move on, dissatisfied, let's find out if there are any hard and fast nutrition facts for the masses; truths that we can stand on as we explore, experiment, and experience food to find out what works best for us.

Nutrition and Exercise:

The quality of your nutrition greatly affects the quality of your workouts and the quality of your results. Eat like garbage, feel like garbage, look like garbage. Quality matters.

However, the importance of food quantity, timing, and balance depends on what you want to achieve. If you you’re trying to build muscle, you’ll need a heck of a lot more protein than an ultra marathoner. Conversely, that runner is going to put away a lot more vital energy in the form of carbohydrates than say, a bodybuilder or your average mom lifting weights in the backyard.

Protein:

We all know that protein aids in building and rebuilding muscle fibers. In the same way it makes repairs to damaged muscles following strenuous exercise so the muscle can come back stronger. We won’t go into the many health benefits of building muscle, but just know that, no matter what your goals may be, your body absolutely needs quality proteins for optimal performance.

Good (lean) protein choices:

Plain Greek yogurt

Swiss cheese

Eggs (duh)

Organic milk (if you must)

Steak (top or round)

Pork Chops

Chicken breast

Lentils

Fish

Green pease

Nuts

Quinoa (“keen-wah” incase you didn’t know)

Protein is slow to digest. Planning your diet to be 30%-40% lean protein will keep you feeling fuller longer.

Carbohydrates:

Carbs are you friend, and don’t you forget it. Carbohydrates provide you with energy. Simply put, your incredibly intelligent body is adaptive. If you over-supply your body with energy, like a good steward, if will store the surplus for another time. Surplus energy is stored in the body as adipose tissue, which we oddly call “fat”.

Once again, if you aren’t consuming energy according to your own goals, it is very easy to over-consume fast digesting food sources like starches and sugars. Most of us can’t eat like elite athletes and expect to thrive. I don’t like running numbers every time I set table, so I don't. Food is much more than numbers. It is sensation and fellowship. It is life.

Your brain needs the carbohydrates, your hormones need carbohydrates, as do your muscles and blood. Hard and fast now, don't over consume energy (calories) that your body isn't utilizing. Serving sizes are key if you’ve no desire to weigh your food.

Quality Carbs:

Fruit

Vegetables

Oats

Whole grains (cereals, breads)

Brown rice

Buckwheat

Poor Quality Carbs (in case you need to know):

Fried foods

Table sugar

White bread/rice/pasta

Fast food

Soda

Cake, cookies, muffins, candy

Ice cream

Happiness

Poor quality carbohydrates give a short burst of energy (too much, unless we are running sprints for a few miles) with ZERO nutritional value you body can use. When we are stressed (including hunger, boredom, loneliness, and exhaustion) we can experience cravings for carbohydrates that are rarely the healthy fiber-packed ones. This is the brain begging for immediate stress-relief, a “pick-me-up”, or comfort, if you will. When we eat high-sugar foods the area of the brain that processes pleasure is activated and says, “lets do that again sometime!” Enjoy the holidays, and family meals, and the occasional treat. But be aware that you are shaking that part of your brain awake, and if you continue to indulge, cravings may make overconsumption of sugary, starchy foods a tough habit to break.

A Word on Food Preparation

Generally, the more work you need to do to get food on the table, the healthier the choice. Sorry, that is just the way it is. Do the work, as it is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, and you’ll learn to love the process. It actually represents what matters the most and serves to remind you that you are a part of nature, not a separate, lofty “other” that needs strangers to chop and bag your vegetables for you. If you’re too busy to make food for yourself and your family, you’re probably too busy. That may even be why you are looking to make changes in your life. Truth be told, I make bread for dinners and buy bread for lunches. It’s all about balance. No one can tell you what works best for your family. But, the facts do remain; healthy food takes time to prepare.

Macronutrient Fat:

You need healthy fats in your diet like a squeaky hinge needs oil. Good, healthy fats are essential for hormone balance, cell protection, nutrient delivery, brain function, and to keep your immune system humming.

The reason why fat is so misunderstood is because gram for gram, fat provides twice the amount of calories (energy) as protein or carbohydrates, so it is easy to overconsume. Stick to your serving sizes, even with peanut butter (I know).

Consider:

Avocados

Dark chocolate (if you must, above 65% cocoa)

Cheese (I must)

Eggs

Salmon

Nuts

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Research on the harm caused by consuming trans fats and saturated fats (butter, *sigh*) is controversial and speculative at best. It comes down to moderation and nutrients and energy balance. Balance is difficult and requires hard work. Counterintuitively, taking the extreme route when it comes to your diet is the easy route.

But, it is best to avoid “empty calories” that offer nothing to your body but something extra to store and stress your immune system out.

Empty Crap:

All fried foods (including donuts (*sob*)

Baked, high-fat desserts (pastries, cookies, etc.)

Processed snack food (crackers, chips, pretzels)

I am not interested in telling people how to eat. If you truly want to meet your health and fitness goals, you will strive to eat food that is close to its original form, drink clean water, and balance your diet. Read labels, know what you’re eating, and take responsibility for what you consume. Balance, moderation, self-control, enjoying food, giving thanks, and making food to share with others is the diet no one really wants. Without practice and tradition, in this fast-paced, modern world, balance and peace at your table is actually difficult to achieve.

In this age of information it has never been easier to find what works for you, but you have to be bold. You have to look for underlying truths about what humans are here to do and what your own priorities are. I can tell you right now, obsessing over food is no one’s calling. Keep food where it belongs in your life: a blessing given to serve you, and a way to bless others.

Breakfast Photo by Anthony DELANOIX on Unsplash

Burger Photo by Yanko Peyankov on Unsplash

Eggs Photo by Eaters Collective on Unsplash