How to get back to clean eating after indulging over the holidays
Sitting at a table with Christmas treats in front of you can be challenging, especially if you’re trying to stay true to your clean eating diet plan. From crockpot candies and homemade marshmallows to Oreo truffles, gingerbread cookies and cinnamon rolls, a variety of holiday goodies can beckon you to try them out.
What’s the harm? It’s the season of indulgences after all.
For Charlottetown, P.E.I.based Leslie Hollis, being mindful all year round is important.
“Food is fuel and medicine for the body,” she said.
But that doesn’t mean she won’t treat herself to something occasionally and in moderation.
“Personally, during the holidays, I only eat the special treats that I don’t see all year round and avoid the ones that are readily available all year long,” said Hollis.
Other Atlantic Canadians SaltWire spoke to expressed the sentiment that if they’re healthy 90 per cent of the year, there’s no harm in letting loose come Christmas.
Some said it is OK to indulge if the food is homemade but they avoid store-bought goodies at all costs.
SHOULD YOU BE WORRIED ABOUT INDULGING DURING CHRISTMAS?
Registered dietitian Kinga Balogh from JM Nutrition Halifax agreed with Hollis when it came to mindfulness.
“Advertisers often state that certain foods and beverages are available for a ‘limited time only’. Needless to say, this is a marketing technique that encourages higher consumption patterns,” Balogh explained.
This kind of thinking leads to a scarcity mindset – “the belief that you won’t be able to eat Grandma’s yule log or butter cookies at any other time.”
When you overindulge out of this mindset, you’re not only left feeling uncomfortably full but you’re also guiltridden, added the dietician.
On the flip side, refusing lovingly homemade goodies can make you feel like you’re rejecting the maker too, said Balogh. But there is no harm in kindly and firmly stating that you want to honour your body.
“As Dr. May, an expert in the field of mindful eating would say, ‘Why spend December full, bloated, and tired, then January hungry, deprived, and obsessed’ about food?” asked the Halifax expert.
GUILT
Guilt is one of the main emotions that lead to fundamental mistakes people make during the holidays, according to Mathew Benvie, president of Nova Scotia-based company Evolve Fitness.
Guilt leads to not just days, but weeks and months of indulgence, according to the fitness instructor.
“Part of being healthy is your mental health. You don’t want the holidays to be stressful because you don’t think you can eat and drink with friends and family,” he said.
But letting indulgence go on for longer than it should is not wise either.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?
The question of whether or not you should indulge at all comes down to your goals, said Benvie.
“We are the average of our actions over very long periods of time. If you want to indulge, it can be easy to manage those higher-calorie days with lower-calorie days to even things out over time,” he explained.
“The holidays happen every year, along with your birthday, Mother’s Day, vacation, etc. If you think about your goals as very short-term, then indulging can feel like a big obstacle. But if you view your goals as long-term, then you can learn how to manage each of these things and still be hugely successful with your goals.”
TIPS FOR GETTING BACK ON TRACK POST-CHRISTMAS
There are things you can do to help you get back on track, either during the week between Christmas and New Year’s or to kick off January.
— Restock your pantry (and make a deal out of it)
So Christmas is over, and now you have to get back to clean eating. Creating some hype around re-stocking your pantry might be one way to go about things.
— Opt for “healthy convenience foods” while you’re at it, said registered dietician Serena Benali of In Good Nutrition, which has locations in Halifax, Calgary, and Edmonton.
“(They are) nutritious items that require minimal preparation. My go-tos include nuts, nut butters, seeds, edamame, fruit, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and Greek yoghurt,” Benali said.
DON’T ABANDON SHIP COMPLETELY
The delicate dance between clean eating and indulging during Christmas doesn’t have to involve completely giving up all rules, according to Benvie.
“Something is always better than nothing, and it’ll be easier to jump back to your full routine if you ‘just do less’ during the busier holidays times,” Benvie added.
DON’T ATTEMPT TO “BURN OFF” THE CALORIES
This is another mistake people make after Christmas, said Benvie.
“Avoid thinking you need to exercise more or starve yourselves to ‘burn off’ the calories you’ve eaten,” Benvie said.
“The best thing you can do is just get right back to what you were doing. If you turn to extreme behaviours and unrealistic diets and exercise programs, then you are likely to fall into the yo-yo trap.”
GET YOURSELF AN ACCOUNTABILITY BUDDY
Having a friend whom you can stay accountable to, or hiring a coach, can help you get back on track, added Benvie.
“I would always remember that you aren’t alone in how you are feeling if you are struggling,” Benvie said.
“Don’t be shy [to ask] for help, either from friends/ family or a professional. That’s what we are all here for.”
SELF-CARE OVER MILITANT SELF-CONTROL
Mindset matters, whether you’re clean eating, training, or getting back on the wagon after a month of indulgent foods.
“I would begin with creating a mindset that supports self-care instead of militant self-control when it comes to lifestyle habits,” explained Balogh.
“As one moves from selfcontrol to self-care, the opportunity to eat in moderation, move joyfully, develop harmonious relationships, optimize sleep, engage in proactive stress management, and live with more meaning and purpose presents itself for many people.”
GO BACK TO MINDFUL EATING (AND BALANCED MEALS)
A lot can be accomplished when you chew your balanced and nutritious food slowly.
Mindfulness can help you pay attention to your hunger and satiation cues, according to Benali, so you can stop when you’re full instead of overeating.
Mindfulness is also about “avoiding distractions, such as watching TV, scrolling through social media, or multitasking while enjoying a meal,” explained Balogh.
Who said balanced and nutritious foods have to be boring? Include lean proteins, whole grains, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables in your diet, added Benali.
“This not only nourishes your body but also helps stabilise blood sugar levels, keeps you fuller longer, and helps ensure your body is getting the nutrition it needs.”
AVOID “MORAL LICENSING”
“Reassure yourself that all foods fit in moderation, and avoid ‘moral licensing’ of some foods over others,” said Balogh.
“Studies have shown that when one mandates including superfoods – even when no inclination to eat it presents – people are more likely to later compensate with less healthpromoting foods.”
SAVE SOME INDULGENT LEFTOVERS FOR LATER
This is tied again to the scarcity mindset, Balogh said.
By making sure that you can have some of the Christmas goodies even after Christmas is done, you’re taking a more balanced and healthy approach to clean eating.
“People often do well if they save up some of their favourite foods for later consumption, by possibly freezing leftovers,” Balogh added.
“Also, reassuring yourself that holiday foods can be prepared at other times as well, should the desire to consume them arise, avoids feelings of deprivation or feeling
[like you’re] missing out and thereby reducing the likelihood of overeating.”