Eating Well Over The Holidays

First of all, WHERE have the past 3 months gone?!  I feel like I've been hit with a time-warp.   Life has indeed been busy raising a 23 month-old, coordinating play-dates, working part-time at Inspire Health http://www.inspirehealth.ca/ (The Integrative Cancer Clinic in Vancouver), working from home, keeping the house and bed & breakfast (http://www.bowenwellnessbnb.com/) in order...I know I'm not alone with this a busy schedule :) 

And so, I'd like to talk about something fitting for the season...

This can be a challenging time of year to eat well and stick to a regimen but I'm here to encourage you to first of all, not try and be perfect - none of us are!  And second, adopt some good strategies for eating well over the holidays and not consume copius amounts of alcohol and refined foods full of who-knows-what.

When it comes to eating well, I always encourage clients to adopt 'the 80:20 principle' for their diet.  What this means is if 80% of the time you are eating whole, healthy, unrefined foods then you are doing great and you can afford to not be perfect for 20% of the time.  So, eating out, with friends, or traveling doesn't count so don't sweat it!  Isn't that a nice thought?  To eat without worry/anxiety/guilt?  I think so. 

I remember when I turned my diet around and felt SO much better and one day I remember thinking to myself - WOW, I no longer have to really worry about what/when I eat as long as I stick to eating well most of the time, which had well become a habit by then.  By that time I had worked on my diet for about a year, overcame IBS, yeast overgrowth, chronic hypoglycemia, back pain, sugar addiction, anxiety, acne, dry scalp, ...the list goes on.  It felt so liberating!!  After all I'd gone through, feeling lousy for so long, feeling guilt-ridden/irresponsible/anxious...and now as long as I don't completely fly off the handle and go back to my old ways (I've tinkered with it a bit over the years but now bounce back fast as soon as I get back on track) then I'm totally ok and my body is forgiving of a few 'off days' here and there.  A truly sustainable diet.

12 Tips to Get You Through the Holidays

1.) If you have alcohol, try and limit it to 2 drinks.  Stick to one type that you are used to and know your limits.

2.) Avoid sugary additions like soda pop or sweet fruit juice.  Fresh fruit/juice, club soda, tonic/spring water are better alternatives.

3.) Drink a glass of water with or between every alcoholic drink..

4.) Drink water before bed with some vitamin C.  Repeat in morning if needed.

5.) Eat plenty of protein early on to stabilize blood sugar and the tendency to eat less.

6.) Do not drink alcohol or eat bread or sweets before eating the main meal as you're likely to eat more after these appetite stimulants.

7.) Eat dark chocolate instead of milky/white stuff that's loaded with sugar.

8.) Keep your portions small and chew thoroughly as you'll find you are full much sooner that you would if you wolf down your food!

9.) Remind yourself that you want to feel good in 2010 - not hungover and bloated!

10.) Try and get some walking in daily during this cold season when we tend to be less active.

11.)  Deep breathe!  Often...every day...

12.) Be kind to yourself as well as others and have gratitude for all that you have.  There's no better feeling than to be in a pure place of being grateful for what/who you have in your life!


Have a wonderful, fun but safe, holiday season, whichever way you choose to celebrate.

Here's to a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2010 to all of you!

Thank you for reading and be sure to join me for many more posts in the new year...