Guilt Free Festive Indulgence
Synonymous with the holiday season is the concept of overindulgence. However, the underlying current of guilt need not ruin your festive spirit. By being mindful, you can partake in the merriment while remaining consistent on your fitness journey. Preparing a balanced and nutritious plate and ensuring your alcohol consumption is measured can go a long way to ensure that you partake in fun family moments while not totally derailing your diet.
Here, Food and Health Engineer and Registered Clinical Dietitian, Jana El Jardali (JJ) who owns the online nutrition clinic Diet and Recipe and Clinical Dietician Cynthia Farsoun (CF) share their tips on mindful eating during the holidays.
How would you define overindulgence during the holidays? And would you classify it as good or bad?
JJ: Overindulgence is when we eat more than our biological hunger dictates. During the holidays this is bought about by social pressure. We need to be accountable to ourselves and mindful of what we consume during this period.
CF: I believe that we shouldn’t label anything as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. The concept of overindulgence completely depends on a person’s goals and preferences.
What tips can you provide for mindful eating during this period?
JJ: Holiday food spreads can be overwhelming. There is so much choice and even when one is not hungry, the temptation to indulge takes over. The secret is to choose 3 to 4 things on the table and eat until you don’t feel completely stuffed. To stay healthy, start with the soups and salads, these are a good way to get full. Then opt for the grilled items on the table, ensuring less oil consumption. Try and keep sugar and alcohol to a minimum, as both are inflammatory and can weaken the immune system, with the lingering Corona virus we need to ensure that our immunity is not compromised. Alcohol is also very calorific, so try to limit your intake. For dessert, choose fruits over the unhealthier options but don’t restrict yourself completely – after all it is the festive period – just take a couple of bites of cakes or pastries instead of consuming the whole piece.
CF: Avoid drinking your calories. Wine, hot chocolate, eggnog, and generally all alcoholic cocktails should be consumed in moderation. Moreover, focus on striking a healthy balance on your plate. Opt for meals that contain the big three macronutrients of carbohydrates (e.g. breads, potatoes, grains), proteins (e.g. meats, chicken, and cheese) and healthy fats (e.g. olive oil, nuts, olives). Load your plate up with vegetables to reduce your calorific intake and to progress your general health goals.
Should we feel guilty about overindulging?
JJ: Overindulging is not ideal because it can adversely affect your body’s biological efficiency, especially if the food choices are unhealthy in nature. It is better to pay attention to your calorie intake and where possible to try and stick to it.
CF: Overindulging during the holidays is a very common thing and it should not be met with feelings of guilt or shame. However, fitness goals can still be met by simple tricks and techniques to stay on track.
How can we reduce the risk of overindulging?
JJ: The best thing you can do is to stick to your daily routine. Never skip breakfast and lunch to allow for an indulgent dinner. Eating a lot at one mealtime is not advisable as the heavy calorie intake correlates to belly fat. If you go to the dinner already full, there is less risk of indulging and eating more than your body can handle.
CF: During the peak holidays - Christmas and New year’s - there shouldn’t be any restrictions because the whole idea of the holidays is to be with your loved ones and enjoy the gathering. Food is a very important component in familial gatherings, so eating shouldn’t be discouraged. However, during the other days of the holiday season one should be careful in terms of eating well, to ensure that one doesn’t go off track too much. For example, during a simple gathering, other than the main events mentioned above, the foods and quantities to be enjoyed should be limited at the event and the rest of the day should be just as normal. Focus on healthy eating habits and patterns, while making sure to reach the physical activity goals for those days.
