4 Tips For Guilt-free Holiday Eating

Dec 2, 2019 | 5 min read
Hey! I'm Kathy and I study a Master of Dietetics. I believe food nourishes not only our bodies, but also our minds. Everything in moderation. You can follow me @balanceyourplate for all things food!

DECEMBER IS AN ENTIRE MONTH OF OVERINDULGING, AND HANGOVERS ASIDE IT CAN LEAVE YOU ENTERING THE NEW YEAR FEELING PRETTY SHABBY.

I know December can be tricky for making a last ditch attempt to achieve your long forgotten New Year’s resolution to eat healthy and get fit. BUT remember that abs aren’t formed overnight, so eating your favourite festive foods (in moderation) won’t ruin your #hotgirlsummer/ #hotguysummer plans.

The four tips below aim to help you find a balance between eating to your heart’s content without feeling literally food drunk…

1) HAVE A GAME PLAN

Christmas Snacks

There are so many Christmas foods to choose from… sweet, savoury and everything in between. But we all have our favourites right? Use the Marie Kondo approach to decluttering, except eating the foods which spark joy.

Tip

  • Eat the foods you truly enjoy, rather than mindlessly munching on everything in front of you – Go in with a game plan and approach a table laden with food with those favourites in mind. 

Why go for mediocrity, when you can choose the best?

2) BRING A HEALTHY PLATE

5+ a day is hard to achieve during the holidays. If you’ve got a pot luck dinner, contribute a healthy-ish dish.

This roasted butternut squash is glazed with maple and cinnamon, and filled with a buckwheat stuffing. It’s vegan and gluten free – perfect for catering to dietary requirements.

Roasted Butternut Squash Recipe

3) ‘TRY’ TO GET MOVING

A summer Christmas means plenty of opportunities to be outdoors. Go join every other New Zealander and their dog (literally) for a walk around the park, or head down to the beach for an afternoon swim.

Tips

  • Change your mindset – Move your body with the intention of looking after yourself, rather than to burn off your whole holiday meal. Get your blood pumping to help with digestion and to feel less sluggish.
  • Pinterest is a great place to start for free workout routines – If your New Year’s resolution is to get fit, why not get a head start and ease yourself into it now?
  • Small workouts to help achieve small goals –  Here are a couple of ideas if you want a quick workout without leaving the house (no equipment required).

4)  RELAX AND ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS

Don’t let feelings of guilt ruin the festive season! It is one day, or week, of the year where we have the opportunity to spend lots of time with family and friends, and eat special foods (like a whopping big ol’ turkey or ham, plus all the trimmings).

It’s one thing to be mindful of not overindulging for the sake of Christmas, but it’s another to feel bad about deviating from what is ‘normally’ healthy.

Chill out because you can balance this out in the remaining 300-odd days of the year.


And there we go – the holiday season may seem like an absolute minefield when you’re trying to eat healthy and in moderation. But by being smart, you can still eat the foods you really love!

Happy holidays! As always, feel free to hit me up over on Instagram @balanceyourplate where you can see all the food I am going to be indulging in this Christmas…