As Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, I have clients asking how they should be eating for the holidays. The common concerns include losing their progress, falling off their plans, and over-indulging on bad foods.

How do I eat healthy over the holidays? There is too much food available, desserts, sweets, and all the things I shouldn’t be eating. What if I overeat? I’ll gain a bunch of weight. I don’t know how to bounce back from the damage I’ve done.

Does this sound familiar?

What I personally love about holidays is the time to spend with family, loved ones, and cherish those that are important to us. What if it’s not all about the food? I know if I go into Thanksgiving dinner stressed about the grams of carbohydrates or proteins I’m eating it’s a set up for a terrible and miserable meal.

First off, I don’t recommend waiting until the social gathering to have your first meal. Having regular meals such as your breakfast and lunches before the big dinner may help you feel less ravenous at your holiday party. If you are worried about overeating, why not eat in a structured way beforehand to set yourself up for success? If you really like a dish, you can always take leftovers home. I assure you, if you offer to take some food home you are doing your host a favor. Every year, I know I get stuck with more holiday food than I know what to do with.

Overeating in general comes from waiting too long to eat. Especially around the holidays. The holiday season is literally planned around food. Giving a hard pass to delicious dishes will be almost painful. Yet worrying about how much we will eat will often make the meal less enjoyable. If we are worried about how many calories are in every food we like, doesn’t that take away from the joy of the entire experience? I thought we went to holiday parties to catch up with our folks, not to stare incessantly at the dinner table like people who are in trouble.

Cherish the memories of those around you this holiday season. It’s about the food but it isn’t. It’s part of the tradition but doesn’t have to be definition of your festivities. Personally, I really like using that time to reflect on what I’m thankful for and being mentally present with my family and friends.

Obviously, I didn’t say eat whatever and however much you want. Being engaged in conversations with loved ones is way more fun than memorizing the number of calories you ate on Christmas Day. Nobody will remember everything you put on your plate this year. Trust me. As a dietitian, I won’t be asking you when New Years comes around.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful Holiday Season!

Warmly,

Suren