Healthy Holiday Eating Tips From Bioniq Dietitian

Holidays are just around the corner. We can already hear you blasting the iconic Mariah Carrey or George Michael songs – or planning your holiday feasts. We all know how satisfying it is to go all in on a holiday night. But your pancreas and liver might not thank you for the morning after. This blog article will guide you through healthy holiday eating tips that you can incorporate in the upcoming festive weeks. 

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Go for healthy options 

Healthy CAN be tasty! You don’t have to eat tons of fatty and fried food to fill up and feel satisfied, even at a festive dinner. When planning your big night, you can include more dishes with lean meats and vegetables, as well as replace popular ingredients with their healthy substitutes. For example, opt for lighter cheeses like feta or cottage cheese instead of cheddar or substitute fries with sweet potatoes. Don’t forget about asparagus and roasted vegetables – those side dishes will be a great addition to your table. Finally, salads with light dressing instead of mayonnaise will leave everyone refreshed and ready for dessert. 

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Stay hydrated

Whether indulging in a warm cup of gluhwein or a homemade mocktail, mixed drinks in big amounts can make you feel really off. Sweet drinks can raise your blood sugar, make you feel bloated and increase your appetite. Alcoholic beverages put additional pressure on your liver, and overdrinking can easily leave you intoxicated and dehydrated the morning after. A good compromise amidst the feast or a party would be drinking water between your drinks to stay hydrated. Make sure to drink lots of water the day after and avoid caffeine and artificially sweetened beverages. 

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Keep your daily meals balanced

To survive a full-scale dinner feast, plan the surrounding meals to be nutritious and healthy but easy on your stomach. Before dinner, have a salad or a light crème soup. The morning after the feast, have a healthy and balanced breakfast, like avocado toast or an egg whites omelette with vegetables. Remember – skipping meals is not an option, as it will only get you starving and eating everything you see at the dinner table.

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Avoid processed foods 

Bring a healthy dish to share at the dinner table if you are a guest. This is a golden rule that goes along with every occasion. Processed foods and dishes high in refined sugar can affect your health and promote inflammatory processes in your gut. Try to cook dishes and sauces yourself when planning your holiday dinner rather than buying premade foods. That way, you will know the ingredients and what you are eating. 

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Eat slowly 

Even if the dinner table looks absolutely gorgeous, try to be patient and take your time to indulge. Take it slowly and take breaks between meals while chatting with the guests. To make it fun, come up with a game you can play before the dessert is served. 

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Don’t neglect exercise 

No need to torture yourself in the gym but doing low-intensity exercise or cardio in the morning before the big dinner is really easy and can benefit you greatly. You can go for a light morning yoga flow to cultivate a sense of mindfulness or gratitude, take a short walk to get your thoughts together or do a few stretches after you wake up. After dinner, you can take your friends or family and walk around the block to promote a better digestion process and freshen up.