Holiday Tips To Avoid Eating Too Much Junk Food
Around the holidays when it comes to junk food, it seems that temptation is everywhere. In the malls, at the office and at holiday parties, the parade of not quite healthy treats never seems to end. If you are trying to cut down or eliminate junk food from your diet, here are some steps that can help you to avoid splurging and throwing your diet off track.
Don’t Shop Hungry
This advice is usually given to grocery shoppers, but it applies equally well to holiday shoppers. As you are busily running from store to store, it is far too easy to grab a quick bite to eat at the local fast food joint. Make sure that you have something healthy to eat before you venture out so that you won’t be tempted by the quick and easy fare that you are trying to avoid.
Don’t Taste Samples
Merchants know that free samples will entice you to buy their products, and they use them generously around the holidays. In addition, the products that are generally being offered are high sugar, high fat, and instant gratification types of food. These are exactly what you are trying to avoid.
In some venues, they have so many samples that it is possible to actually get full if you try everything that they offer. No matter how enticing, say thanks and pass along.
Pack Healthy Snacks
If your office has piles of sweets and treats around the holidays, you need to fight the constant temptation by bringing your own healthy snacks. This doesn’t necessarily mean a bag of carrot sticks, which will probably lose out to the holiday candy, anyway.
Plan ahead and prepare some healthy, tasty snacks that you can substitute for the nutritionally empty fare so common around the holidays. That way, you can still participate in the good cheer without feeling totally deprived.
Some healthy snacks you could consider include:
- Unsalted crackers with low fat cheese spread/peanut butter
- 100% all fruit snack packs
- Homemade smoothies
- Yogourt bars
Packing healthy snacks is quite easy and with the vast amount of go to options out there, having them at hand is easy. Through a few quick snacks in your bag/purse in the morning and you’ll be set to go.
Offer to Bring a Dish
If you have been invited to a party or other gathering, ask the hostess is you can help out by providing a dish. Choose an appealing recipe that is still healthy and you will have at least one option that won’t derail your healthy diet plan. There are plenty of recipes available for those with health conditions or concerns that come close to traditional holiday fare, but without the junk food price tag.
Watch the Alcohol
In addition to providing a lot of empty calories of its own, alcohol lowers the inhibitions. This makes it very easy to overindulge in the very foods that you are trying to avoid.
Too many crunchy or salty junk food snacks are often paired with drinks, basically hitting you from both sides. If you do decide to drink, keep a close eye on what you are eating along with it. Another route you could consider is offering to make mocktails or healthy drink options. Become your own bartender at the party and open the door to healthy drinks.
The holidays can be hard to get through when you’re on a diet plan. This year, make it easy with our healthy holiday tips now!