Healthy Holiday Eating Tips (That Won’t Make You Miserable)

By Lindsay Kaplan

Here’s the truth: I eat the cookies. I eat the gingerbread house candy. I eat Auntie Faith’s cannoli dip and I enjoy every single bite.

For me, staying overly restricted during the most joyful time of the year? That’s a one-way ticket to being miserable and that’s not what the holidays are about.

Holiday Balance for Echelon Members

Now don’t get it twisted, when I’m not at a holiday party or out with friends, I absolutely clean it up. I stick to my usual routine, my regular meals, and my balanced plate. When it’s time to celebrate with my coworkers at Friendsgiving, or I’m at my family’s Christmas party back home, I let myself enjoy it. That moment, that memory, that food? It’s once a year. It’s supposed to be special.

The Real Reason People Feel “Off” After the Holidays

Here’s what I’ve learned:
It’s not the one meal or one weekend that throws you off.
It’s the guilt spiral that comes after!

So I don’t spiral. I enjoy myself, I eat what I want, and then I move on. Come Monday? Yeah, maybe my body’s still dreaming of cannoli dip when I reach for a salad, but I push through because it’s temporary and it’s worth it!

Why Your Fitness Routine Matters More Than a Few Holiday Treats

That’s the beautiful part about having a strong routine: you can veer off track a little without losing your way. Your body remembers what it feels like to be fueled well. You just have to ride out the first couple days and trust that you’ll get back to it because you always do.

So eat the cookies. Celebrate with your people.
When it’s time to get back into your groove, trust yourself to do just that.

Happy Holidays, now pass me a cookie!