There’s no doubt that maintaining a healthy eating and exercise routine can get a little tricky during the holidays. Between festive fetes that fill the social calendar and all the delicious food (and beverages!) served at holiday affairs, it’s easy to get off track. However, there is no better feeling heading into the New Year than closing out an old one with healthy habits in place. True Salt offers a few tips for maintaining a clean eating routine during the holidays.
1. Plan Ahead — Lack of planning can lead to overeating or making poor dining decisions simply out of hunger. Meal prepping at the beginning of the week makes easy work of staying on track. Be sure to pack healthy snacks for a day out running errands or keep a few in an office drawer at work to avoid hitting up the vending machine at 3:00 p.m. on a busy day. It’s also a good idea to eat something healthy prior to a holiday party so cravings don’t take over when confronted with a buffet of less-than-healthy options.
2. Contribute — When attending a party or an office event, offer to bring a dish to share. This ensures there will be something healthy to eat, thus making it easier to avoid indulgences, and the host is sure to appreciate the contribution.
3. Splurge… In Moderation— Speaking of indulgences, it’s okay to enjoy them! Everything in moderation, as they say. For those that want to maintain their clean eating routine but still enjoy a few treats, designate a treat allotment throughout the holidays (i.e. three cookies throughout the week or one slice of pie at Grandma’s Christmas dinner). Then make sure to really enjoy those indulgences — and don’t feel guilty about them!
4. Spice it Up — No really, spices, herbs and flavorings are truly the, well, spice, of life! Or at least the diet. So to dial up the taste on vegetables and clean eating dishes, rely on herbs ingredients such as sea salt to provide a punch of flavor.
5. Make it Fun— Enlist a “clean eating” buddy to help stay on track throughout the holidays. Having a loved one or friend on board to motivate (and to be motivated by) helps make the task of clean eating a little more fun. And isn’t fun what the holidays are all about? Having a friend or loved one to challenge to do their best is also a great way to stay the course.
True Salt encourages clean eaters to enjoy the holidays but stay on track by planning ahead, making smart decisions, exploring lots of great clean eating recipes and enlisting a friend to make the process more exciting. Happy clean eating!
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