Guest Post: Holiday Food with Happy Food, Healthy Life

I’m happy to welcome Holly from Happy Food Healthy Life today to share her favorite tips about handling all of the extra temptations around the holidays. Take it away Holly…

Hi everyone, I’m Holly from Happy Food, Healthy Life, and I just want to thank Stephanie for having me here and letting me sprinkle a little bit of my personality into her personal space.

It’s December, and by the looks of it, the holiday season is in full-force. Even if there isn’t any snow on the ground in your neck of the woods, chances are, the seasonal signs are still there. Check-out lines are miles long. You can hear the Salvation Army bell-ringers outside every shopping center. Your kids are jumping off the walls as they count down the few more days until Christmas.

On top of that, I’m guessing you are probably surrounded by tons and tons of tempting holiday treats. If you work in an office, you may be getting sugary deliveries from clients and co-workers. Maybe your neighbors have already started gifting their homemade treats. Or maybe it’s you that likes to bake and there is an abundance of temptation in your own kitchen!

For someone who is trying to stay healthy (which is most of the world), it can be one of the most difficult times of the year. I would love to share with you just a few tips I have for getting through the holiday season without falling into the trap of holiday goodies.

Hold out for the Good Stuff
There’s going to be cookies galore every where you turn. You’ll have Warm Cinnamon Almonds pulling you in from the other side of the mall. Candy canes here, white peppermint Hershey Kisses there. There will be an abundance of options all around you, and you will probably be tempted to eat every single bite of it.

But let’s think about this for a minute. How much do you really like candy canes or sugar cookies? I am an advocate for not restricting any foods from your diet, but in saying that, you need to ask yourself if you really like the foods you’re eating or if you’re just eating them because they’re there and because it’s “allowed” during the holiday season?

Maybe you should ask yourself what Christmas foods and candies you look forward to every year. I personally love Almond Roca. When we get it in our office, I am one of the first to rip open the package. I am not going to waste my calories on something that I don’t even really care about just because it’s the holiday season. I will hold out for the treats that I truly look forward to every year and that really excite my taste buds.

Don’t be Tempted by the Pretty Colors
Ok, this is another big one, guys. So put two Oreos side by side. One is a classic Oreo with white cream, and the other is a holiday Oreo with red or green cream filling. (ooooh ahhh!) I can pretty much guarantee which one will go first. The “fancy” holiday version.

There is something about adding red or green food coloring to a regular old food that just gets people excited. And oh boy, if there are coordinating sprinkles, there’s no way you’ll be able to say no!

I just hope you can keep this in mind. Much of the time, this is a normal every-day food that is cleverly disguised as holiday fare. Remember that you can get this food every other day of the year and it will probably taste pretty similar, so you don’t have to hoard them during the month of December.

(Of course, there are some things that require hoarding, such as the white chocolate peppermint hershey kisses!)

Don’t Beat Yourself Up
Even while we’re trying to stay mindful of the treats around is, it is possible (and probable) that we will break our healthy habits here and there throughout the season. All I can tell is to not beat yourself up. A few weeks of indulging is not going to ruin your entire year if you have worked hard to stay healthy. Continue working out as much as you can. Don’t give up on yourself and think that you are doomed to live an unhealthy life because of this season of indulging.

Remember something: Almost everyone struggles with their diets during the holiday season. You are not alone. You will be able to get through this time, and luckily, the season doesn’t last very long. In no time at all, you will be back to your normal routine and all will be right in the world.
Enjoy this time with your family and friends. Enjoy some of the treats you look forward to and can’t get any other time of the year. And above all, try not to stress about the situation too much. The holidays are supposed to be fun.

Have a very happy holiday season, and if you enjoyed what you read, I invite you to come visit me at Happy Food, Healthy Life.

Bio:
Holly currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah but is originally from the rural state of Indiana. She has lived in Utah for over ten years but believes it is her destiny to end up in Seattle, Washington. Holly is a wife to her best friend and a mom to one handsome little boy.

After battling eating disorders and poor relationships with food for 14 years, she is ?nally healthy and happy. Holly ?nds joy in helping others who are struggling with dieting, eating disorders, motivation, and all-over wellbeing. The concept of helping others truly enjoy a life without worrying about food and dieting is where happyfoodhealthylife.com began.

Image source courtesy of Creative Commons