MAND's Top 5 Holiday Survival Tips

1. Intermittent fasting. Avoid the 10-20 pounds of holiday weight gain by allowing 14 hours between the end of your dinner and the start of your morning meal. Intermittent fasting will increase your sensitivity to insulin, making you feel less hungry and decreasing the amount of fat that you store.

2. Pack your digestive enzymes. Want to avoid the after-dinner reflux blues? Keep a stash of digestive enzymes handy for times when you may be stepping out of your nutrition comfort zone and pop them with the first few bites of food.

3. Fill your plate (and clean it) with good stuff first. Don’t blow your appreciation of food on the rolls and the crackers. First fill and consciously consume a plate of protein, veggies and other healthy options. Then pause to consider if you have room for (and really need) the stuff that has the marshmallows in it.

4. Starving? Have a fatty snack. We all know what happens when we show up to a holiday party in a ravenous state…nothing good. Check in with your level of physical (and emotional) hunger before heading out and if the tank is low, put some fat in there to raise and sustain blood sugar levels so that you can make conscious choices. Options for fatty snacks include: half an avocado, a tablespoon of nut butter, a cup of coffee with two tablespoons coconut cream, a handful of nuts or seeds, you get the idea….

5. Focus on the important stuff. Remember the reason we are actually together for the holidays is to enjoy each other’s company. Food is one way to do that, but there are lots of other ways: start a conversation on a positive topic, play a game or put together a puzzle, suggest a group walk after the meal. Remember to slow down, be present in the moment and ENJOY time with your community.