WITHOUTLIMITS Blog

Healthy Holiday Eating

October 29th, 2019

By:Diana Davis, RDN, LDN, CDE
Without Limits Dietitian/Nutritionist

Why is it that the two words “healthy” and “holiday” don’t seem to belong together in the same phrase describing our eating habits this time of year?  Could it be that in our culture we equate the holiday season with a partial (if not complete) disregard for healthy eating?

Compare this with the way you feel about the “off season.”  Many athletes train for a late Fall/early Winter race and after completing the event at the peak of fitness, stop training completely for a period of 1 or 2 (or more) months, or until the next goal race!

It’s interesting to me that the holidays and the off-season often coincide, which means that your holiday food indulgences will have a much bigger impact on your waistline, your general health, and the way you feel in the winter.  SAD,  also known as seasonal affective disorder, is a mood disorder which occurs at the same time each year, usually winter.  Common symptoms of SAD include sleeping too much, having little to no energy, and overeating.  Among suggested treatments are light therapy and exercise, both of which can be achieved with a run outdoors on a sunny winter day.  I would also recommend a healthy, whole food eating plan that continues year-round, especially during winter and the holidays.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy special meals and a few treats at all the same occasions you do from Halloween to New Years, but in moderation and with intent to balance holiday eating with off-season training and lots of days on my healthy eating plan in between.

Need some help with creating a healthy eating plan?  Reach out to Diana Davis, Without Limits Registered Dietitian Nutritionist to discuss getting started on a nutrition program.


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