Category: Nutrition

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Maintaining a Strong Immune System

Immune System
Strong Immune System

In this post, we discuss maintaining a strong immune system. Forget about promises of a “boosted” immune system. The word boost as it relates to improving immune system response is a misnomer. Our immune systems contain many, many different types of cells; scientifically we don’t fully understand the optimal quantity of immune cells we need, nor the optimal balance of immune cell types. A boost in immune cells in your body is not necessarily a good thing – ask someone with an auto-immune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis –  their “boosted” immune system cells produce antibodies that attack their body’s own tissues, causing inflammation, swelling, pain, and sometimes permanent damage.

Healthy immune system function requires regular, diversified nourishment including certain essential vitamin and mineral micronutrients. Specifically – Vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, B6 and B12, folic acid, beta-carotene (precursor of Vitamin A), iron, selenium, and zinc. Ideally, get the recommended daily allowance (RDA) amounts of these vitamins through food. I’ve compiled a summary including foods having relatively high content of these micronutrients.

If you suspect your diet is not balanced nor diverse enough, or you are restricting energy intake, taking a daily multivitamin containing these micronutrients may be a good idea. Don’t fall into the fallacy trap that more is better; vitamin megadoses are unlikely to be beneficial, and possibly harmful in certain circumstances.

In addition to ensuring you get these micronutrients, you can support your immune system function by reducing chronic stress through good sleep, additional relaxation time, and exercise.

Acute physical stress from exercise can help support the immune system by mobilizing antibodies and white blood cells. However, during periods of increased risk of infection, it’s best not to over-train which may cause an undue pro-inflammatory response and suppress the immune system. Keep up your training regime and listen to your body/take rest if you have been pushing too hard.

Acute stress generates a short-term increase in the hormone cortisol – this short-term increase is beneficial for the actions of our immune system. However, when stress is chronic, we have consistently elevated of cortisol and our immune systems become impaired.  Daily mediation, yoga or simply turning your mind toward positive thoughts and gratitude can reduce chronic stress levels.

In summary, the best way to support your immune system is to eat a diversity of foods containing key micronutrients, exercise, get enough sleep, and relax!

Reach out to me if you are looking for customized nutrition support for you health and goals.

Further Reading

Maggini, S.; Pierre, A.; Calder, C., Immune Function and Micronutrient Requirements Change over the Life Course, Nutrients, 10, 1531 (2018).

Huang, Z., Liu, Y., et al, Role of Vitamin A in the Immune System, J. Clin. Med. 7, 258 (2018).

Moriguchi, S., Muraga M., Vitamin E and Immunity, Vitam Horm, 59, 305 (2000).

Rail, L.C.,Meydani, S.N., Vitamin B6 and Immune Competence, Nutrition Reviews, 51, 217 (1993).

Carr, A.C., Maggini, S., Vitamin C and Immune Function, Nutrients, 9, 1211 (2017).

Chriumbolo, S., Bjorklund, G., et al, The Role of Vitamin D in the Immune System as a Pro-survival Molecule, Clinical Therapeutics, 39, 894 (2017).

Mikkelsen, K., Apostolopoulos, V., Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, and the Immune System, Nutrition and Immunity pp 103-114.

Segerstrom, C., Psychological Stress and the Human Immune System: A Metanalytic Study of 30 Years of Inquiry, Psychol Bull. 130, 601 (2004).

Hackney, A.C., The Immune System and Overtraining in Athletes: Clinical Implications, Acta Clin Croat, 51, 633 (2012)

Shankar, A.H.; Prasad, A.H., Zinc and Immune function: The Biological Basis of Altered Resistance to Infection, Am J Clin Nutr, 68, 447S (1998).

Gill, H.; Walker, G., Selenium, immune function and resistance to viral infections, Nutrition & Dietetics, 65, S41 (2008).

Hughes, D.A., Effects of Carotenoids on Immune Function, Proc Nutr Soc, 58, 713 (1999).

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When Should I Eat?

When should I eat

One of the most common questions I get asked is “When should I eat?“ It’s not as critical as you think, most of the time.

You’ve likely seen the eye-grabbing headlines streaming across your news feeds – “Why Food Experts Say Eat a Huge Breakfast to Lose Weight”, “Skip Breakfast to Lose Weight”, “Late Night Meals Make You Fat”, and “Stop Counting Calories, it’s the Clock that Counts”.

It’s confusing and may be tempting to treat these headlines as dogma. In reality, we have a great deal of flexibility regarding when we eat for desired results, and it is counterproductive to expend a disproportionately large amount of effort to hit some perceived perfect meal timing (versus prioritizing other variables). For healthy training adults who are seeking to improve energy, performance, and improve body composition, there are several primary factors to control in nutrition strategy. These are total daily energy intake, macronutrients (ensuring positive daily protein balance), and food selection. It is important to assess these factor as it relates to your goals, and this should be set before exploring nutrient timing. With that established, here are a few practical takeaways regarding meal timing and frequency based on current research and observational studies.  

Seek consistent timing and distribution of meals every day. Yes, this includes weekends! [1]

Irregular eating patterns have an impact on the signaling in our central and peripheral circadian clocks; erratic eating patterns may result in reduction in basal metabolic rate, [2] reduced food thermogenesis (change in metabolic rate that occurs after a meal), and impaired glucose tolerance [3]. These factors are likely drivers for the association between irregular eating pattern, higher body mass index, and unfavorable cardiometabolic health. [4]

In terms of protein intake and body composition and muscle synthesis, there is likely a benefit to more frequent meals (4-5 per day) versus less frequent.

However, this impact appears minimal.[5] So, it’s probably beneficial to distribute your protein-based meals evenly throughout the day, but not at the expense of your ability to adhere to your program and overall satisfaction. For lean muscle mass retention and growth, it’s a good idea to eat high quality protein and rapidly digestible carbohydrate after a training session. This does not mean you need to chug a protein shake immediately after your last set – the anabolic window for muscle protein synthesis is wide. If you don’t have a protein snack or shake available after a workout, have a meal containing whole protein and carbohydrate within 2 hours of your training session.

Related to weight loss, there may be benefits to consuming a larger fraction of calories earlier in the day.

Some studies have indicated that consuming a greater proportion of nutrients earlier in the day is beneficial. This supports increased total daily energy expenditure and improved glucose response. [6,7,8] This does not mean wake up and immediately have a huge breakfast. Rather, try to eat more of your calories before mid-afternoon. There are strong caveats here for training individuals. For example, if you train in the evenings your muscles will be in a better position to dispose glucose from your bloodstream, whereas eating later in the day will not have as much of an impact. This is because as there is improved glycemic response post-exercise, regardless of time of day. [9]

Assuming you are eating the same number of calories per day, intermittent fasting appears to yield similar weight loss results as general calorie reduction [10,11].

Comparing diets of equal calories, there appears to be no benefit to intermittent fasting for more rapid weight loss versus eating in a more conventional time window. That said, many people have successfully lost weight with intermittent fasting versus general dieting because they eat fewer calories per day. So if weight loss is your goal, it may be worth experimenting with decreasing the time window in which you eat food as it may help you consume fewer calories per day.

With these takeaways, first and foremost is to consider what is practical and sustainable for you. This enables higher adherence, satisfaction from food, and optimizes energy and performance on a personal level. An ideal plan on paper is worthless if it is impossible to follow day in and day out. I strongly encourage everyone to experiment with meal timing and frequency in consideration of both short- and long-term goals.

Need some help establishing a nutrition strategy specific to YOUR goals? Contact me.

References:

[1] Zeron-Rugerio, M.F, Hernaez, A., et al. Eating Jet Lag: A Marker of the Variability in Meal Timing and Its Association with Body Mass Index. Nutrients 11, 2980 (2019).

[2] Farschi, H.R., Taylor, M.A., Macdonald, I.A. Beneficial Metabolic Effects of Regular Meal Frequency on Dietary thermogenesis, Insulin Sensitivity, and Fasting Lipid Profiles in Healthy Obese Women. Am J Clin Nutr 81, 16 (2005).

[3] Farschi, H.R., Taylor, M.A., Macdonald, I.A. Decreased Thermic Effect of Food after an Irregular Compared with Regular Meal Pattern in Healthy Lean Women. Int J Obes, 28, 653 (2004).

[4] St-Onge, M-P, Ard, J., et al. Meal Timing and Frequency: Implications for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention. Circulation 135, e96 (2017).

[5] Schoenfeld, B.J., Aragon, A.A.; Krieger, J.W. Effects of Meal Frequency on Weight Loss and Body Composition: A Meta-analysis. Nutrition Reviews 73, 69, (2015).

[6] Shaw, E., Leung, G.K.W, at al. The Impact of Time of Day on Energy Expenditure: Implication for Long Term Energy Balance. Nutrients 11, 2383 (2009).

[7] Takahashi, M.; Ozaki, M., et al. Effects of Meal Timing on Postprandial Glucose Metabolism and Blood Metabolites in Healthy Adults. Nutrients 10, 1763 (2018).

[8] Xiao, Q., Garaulet, M., Scheer, F.A.J.L., Meal Timing and Obesity: Interactions with Macronutrient Intake and Chronotype. Int J Obes 43, 1701 (2019).

[9] Aqeel, M., Forster, A., et al. The Effect of Timing of Exercise and Eating on Postprandial Response in Adults: A systematic review. Nutrients 12, 221 (2000).

[10] Hedland, M.L., Clifton, P.M., Keogh, J.B., Impact of Intermittent vs. Continuous Energy Restriction on Weight and Cardiometabolic Factors: a 12 Month Follow Up. Int J Obes – in press, 2020.

[11] Rynders, C.A., Thomas, E.A., et al. Effectiveness of Intermittent Fasting and Time-restricted Feeding Compared to Continuous Energy Restriction for Weight Loss. Nutrients 11, 2442 (2019).

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Kickin’ Buffalo Pepper Quesadillas

These veggie and cheese packed buffalo-style quesadillas are a great swap for typical quesadillas and will also crush a hot wing craving. Serve with veggies and homemade ranch dip.

I created two options for this recipe: peppers only or peppers plus chicken (see notes). The combo of mozzarella and feta make them super cheesy, and the peppers add a nice sweetness in combo with the buffalo sauce. Very filling too!

Cheese & Pepper Only version – 275 kcal, 25g Protein, 18g Carbs, 14g Fat

Cheese, Pepper & Chicken Version – 335 kcal, 35g Protein, 18 g Carbs, 15g Fat

As a basis for comparison, the child size chicken quesadilla from Rubios has 580 kcal, 33g Protein, 49g Carbs, and 29g Fat.

These buffalo-style quesadillas are an awesome swap for typical quesadillas and will also crush a hot wing craving. 

Please let me know if you made these and enjoy!

Need help building a nutrition strategy and working on healthy habits? Please reach out.



Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad-free.

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How to Set Your Nutrition and Fitness Goals

A common trait of high achieving individuals is that they set relevant and concrete goals – goal setting for health and performance is no exception.

Why do we need to establish goals? Simply, they are the markers along our journey towards long term success. When we are feeling lost or aimless, we can return to our goals to solidify our direction and purpose. They help us focus our attention on efforts that are most beneficial and they also help us prioritize our time to make the most out of every day.

It takes some careful consideration to set relevant and tangible goals. To help you identify and articulate your goals, let’s walk through the process and an example.

First, establish a vision statement – what longer term success looks like. In essence, it’s a snapshot of your future self that captures your big dreams and aspirations. The only standard to measure against is what will provide you the most meaning, personal satisfaction, and wellness. Vision statements are a source of motivation – when the going gets tough, return to yours to remind you why you started.

I have several vision statements spanning my personal and professional life. It does not have to be as concrete as a goal. Here is my personal nutrition and fitness vision statement:

Ten years from now, I will remain lean and at a healthy body weight, have excellent health markers with low risk for disease, and be stronger and faster than I am right now.

Once a vision statement has been established, how does one achieve the vision? This is where goal setting comes in. To effectively set goals, use S.M.A.R.T. goal setting. This is a tried and true method I’ve used and implemented both in the corporate world as well as personally. It is so well-known, you may already be familiar with it at work. The S.M.A.R.T. criteria dictate that goals must be:

S – Specific. What will you accomplish and what actions will you take?
M – Measurable. What metrics will you use to measure the goal?
A – Achievable. Is the goal reasonable? Do you have the skills and resources necessary to accomplish the goal?
R – Relevant. Does the goal align with your vision?
T – Timely. What is the time frame for accomplishing the goal and is it realistic?

Why is S.M.A.R.T. so important? By setting clearly defined goals, you can then track progress, celebrate tangible achievements, and be more confident in your own capabilities. If your goals are too general or open to interpretation, you may not be able to plan a course of action to meet the goal, or be confident that you actually achieved the goal. Let’s walk through an example of a nutrition and fitness goal:

In three months, lose 10 lbs and be able to run five miles by eating healthier and working out more.

Let’s test how well this goal is written against S.M.A.R.T.

Specific? Not quite. This goal tells me what needs to be accomplished (drop 10 lbs and run five miles), but it is too general about HOW this will be accomplished. It needs to define how you would eat healthier and work out more. For example, If I just add more vegetables to my diet, that’s probably healthier, but will it truly allow me to meet my weight loss goal? Likewise, if I work our more by only lifting weights, will it make be a better runner? It will certainly be overall, but unlikely to be the most efficient course of action. We need to be laser-focused on the activities that get us to our goal most effectively.

Measurable? Yes. Progress can be tracked over the three months based on the scale and how your clothes fit. You could even buy a pair of pants one size smaller and see how they are fitting over time.

Achievable and reasonable? Yes. Assuming: 1) free of injury or pain and are able to jog, 2) access to information or a resource to establish a run training plan, and 3) access to information or a resource to establish a fat loss plan.

Relevant? Yes, assuming part of your long term vision is to achieve the physique you want and improve cardiovascular health.

Timely? Yes. This is clear – three months to meet this goal. We’ll assume it’s a reasonable amount of time based on current state.

Conducting this analysis, looks like the goal needs to be improved by adding some specifics about how the goal will be achieved and available resources to ensure you have the right systems and processes in place to meet your goals. Here is how the goal would be updated based on S.M.A.R.T. :

In three months, I will lose 10 lbs and be able to run five miles following the specific fat loss nutrition plan designed to lose 0.8-1 lb per week while keeping my energy up for running, and a 3x/week run training plan established by my coaches.

Aah….now we have it! The goal now provides information about how we will be able achieve it, and we now also can also track progress within our training and nutrition plans.

Ready to start developing your goals? Use this downloadable S.M.A.R.T. Goals Worksheet to help.

To sum it up: goal setting is a critical part of your health and fitness journey. It should not be taken lightly – spend some time questioning yourself and clearly articulating your goals. The rewards for taking the time to set specific goals are immense – direction, clarity, purpose….and increased confidence as you achieve them. Let me know if you found this useful, and I’d love to hear about your vision and goals!

Note: Goal setting is one part of the equation – effective execution is the other. In the next piece, we will discuss the importance of systems as a key element for goal achievement and habit formation.

Contact me if you need some coaching to help you achieve your goals.

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High Protein Soft Baked Gingerbread Cookies

Get your holiday gingerbread fix while staying on track – these soft and chewy cookies are sure to curb your cravings.

Classic ginger, molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg flavors combined with vanilla protein powder provide amazing flavor with the right macros. Perfect with a cup of coffee and a healthy swap for a coffee shop pastry.

A high protein alternative to traditional Ginerbread cookies to get your holiday fix while staying on track. Soft and chewy!

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it goes!

Don’t know where to start to meet your goals? Let’s work together.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad-free.

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Meal Prep: Green Dragon Lean Turkey Sliders

These lean little turkey burgers pack a lot flavor thanks to Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Sauce.

Lean ground turkey (99/1 or 93/7) is a staple food in my weekly meal prep. Usually I throw it in a pan as-is with whatever seasoning I’m in the mood for….lemon pepper, taco seasoning, hot sauce, harissa, or simple salt and pepper.

One great way to turn ground turkey into a portable snack is to make sliders. For this, my go-to seasoning is Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce plus Everything But the Bagel Seasoning. It takes boring dry turkey and converts it to magical deliciousness – that’s all I’ll say. If I’m in a huge rush sometimes I throw these in a plastic bag and eat as a snack on the road. More often than not, I put them in pitas with some lettuce – and extra Dragon Sauce.

Green Dragon Hot Sauce is a mild sauce, and NOT made with bits of real dragon. No dragons are harmed in the making of these burgers.

Not true.

Important note for this recipe to ensure you get juicy sliders – as you form them in your hands use only your fingertips and just enough pressure to make the shape. We want to keep them airy. If you over-compact the mixture the burgers will turn out tough and dry. During cooking, the patties will puff up a bit, make them flatter again by lightly pressing down on them with a spatula.

An entire 16 oz package of 99/1 lean ground turkey has 104 g of protein, 0 g carbs, and 6 g of fat. I chose to divide the mixture into 11 patties to get just under 10g of protein per burger. Divide how you wish – make fewer or more depending on your plan and how you want to eat them.

Green Dragon sauce is an awesome blend of hot peppers, tomatillos, and garlic that when mixed into extra lean turkey creates a juicy flavorful burger with just a tiny kick of heat. These sliders are great as a stand alone on-the-go protein snack, or in a sandwich. Tasty, simple, and quick weekly meal prep food!

Please let me know if you’ve tried this recipe for your meal prep, and how you like them!

Ready to work on your nutrition plan for fat loss, performance improvement, or just to improve your habits? Contact me.

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad-free.

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Savory Turkey-Cranberry Hash

I’m not ready for Thanksgiving to be over. Seasoned with sage and garlic, this healthy turkey cranberry hash uses riced cauliflower as the base with a bit of crunch from almonds and celery. This dish takes very little time to make and is great for meal prep!

Cauliflower is a staple food in my diet. It is awesomely versatile – on it’s own it has little taste, but readily absorbs other flavors while cooking. Just as importantly, it has an outstanding micronutrient profile with high a content of dietary fiber, Vitamin C, K, and folate.

Frozen riced cauliflower is sold at all major grocery stores, Target, and Costco. I keep a stock in my freezer for whipping up quick meals – all it takes is about 5 minutes in the microwave. If you have the time, you could also buy fresh cauliflower and rice it yourself.

Regarding the macros, I set up this recipe for 20 g of protein, 10 g of fat, and 13 g of carbs for a total of 220 Calories per serving. It is readily adjusted to your needs:

  • Increase/decrease protein by adding more or less turkey
  • Increase/decrease fats by modifying the amount of almonds
  • Increase/decrease carbs by modifying the amount of cranberries
All of the thanksgiving flavors, without the bread, sugar, and extra fats 🙂 This is  healthy turkey-cranberry hash uses riced cauliflower as the base. Great for meal prep and makes great use of leftovers! Macros are adjustable to meet your needs.  

Please let me know if you tried this recipe!

If you are looking for some help to manage your health and fitness through the holidays, and transition to healthier habits, please reach out.

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Healthy Vanilla Maple Baked Apples

Deliciously sweet baked apple stuffed with high protein oat vanilla maple filling. Amazing flavors with a fraction of the sugar and fat!

This is a great snack to get an apple pie a la mode flavor fix with lower calories, while also getting dose of protein. This beautiful treat is delicious direct from the oven or cold. These apples are also highly portable – I’ve been packing them in Tupperware this week as part of my meal prep to snack on after a workout. Half of one of these apples is only 150 Calories.

Honeycrisp apples were used here, but any variety will do. Size and type may impact the baking time; you want the apple to still be a bit firm after cooking.

Given the apple already has a relatively high amount of carbs, I used a minimum amount of rolled oats in the filling mixture – just enough for taste. Steel cut oats also work great if you prefer those.

For the fats I incorporated sunflower butter, however almond butter also works nicely. The addition of hemp hearts adds a delicate nutty flavor and some texture to the filling. Crushed toasted almonds or walnuts would be a great substitute if you don’t care for hemp hearts.

For protein, Trutein Vanilla was used. For the cinnamon, adjust the amount to your liking. After baking, the core is dense and cake-like. The additional filling placed on top of the apple makes it really decadent and its a great dip for the “lid”/top slice.

Given that apple has plenty of natural sugar, to keep the sugar lower I used Walden Farms sugar-free pancake syrup in the filling and also drizzled on top of the apple after baking. Traditional maple syrup or pancake syrup also works if you don’t like the taste of artificial sweeteners (however it will add additional calories).

Enjoy!

High protein baked apple with warm vanilla maple filling.

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it tastes!

Ready to Get Started with Nutrition Coaching?

Disclosure: as an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This supports keeping the website ad-free.

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Measurement of Food and Portions

Measuring food: tradeoff between accuracy and practicality.

If you are trying to lose fat or gain muscle you may have received the generalized advice – just eat less, or just eat more. What does this actually mean? It’s an unfortunate oversimplification and we need to go a few steps deeper to make it practical. In order to manage our food intake, we need to have some idea of our current portion sizes, and then adjust them up or down to meet our goals.

After you have determined your total daily energy requirements, you will need to select foods and decide by which method you will measure portions. Without any form of measurement, it is challenging if not impossible to assess caloric intake with any degree of confidence. We need a way to track and be accountable to ourselves.

“What gets measured, gets done”

– William Edwards Deming

There are trade-offs between accuracy and practicality to consider in measuring; at certain times in your long term plan it may make more sense to weigh foods on a scale, while at other times a simple visual estimation with your hand is adequate. Using a food scale is beneficial to understanding exactly what your food portions should look like, and some people desire this higher level of control. Some accuracy is lost by measuring food volume with cups and teaspoons/tablespoons, but it is more practical as most people are already familiar using these tools. If you have never tracked food before or are simply dining out and away from your food scale, the great news is that you have a natural measuring instrument in your hand already…..literally, it’s your hand.

Click here for a downloadable and printable infographic on hand estimates for food portions.

Need some help getting started with a nutrition plan and portions?

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Surviving The Holidays

Let’s talk turkey……and stuffing….and pie. It’s so easy to get caught up in the delicious meals and treats at office parties, family get-togethers, and festivities with friends. This month, we review top tips on how NOT to gain those troublesome holiday pounds.

Before I got my mindset and habits in order, I was easily gaining a 5-7 lb through November and December each year. I had no game plan and I couldn’t stop myself from binge eating the foods that I forbid myself during other times of the year. Come January, I was again working off the weight gain as the previous year.

Yo-yo dieting, the process of gaining and losing the same weight every year, is at best frustrating and at worst an even greater health risk than very slow weight gain.

January is a time fraught with guilt for many people. For those two months of holiday gaining, it usually takes twice the amount of time to reverse it through decreased energy intake and exercise. I usually wouldn’t see my pre-holiday weight until April. Imagine – the first four months of the year already gone, only to be back at square one! Making forward progress towards big-picture goals is challenging if you are already fatigued from repeatedly dieting off the same weight.

I know I’m not alone in this struggle, and want to share how to break the yearly yo-yo for good. Here are my top recommendations for maintaining your weight through the holidays. Start 2020 off on the right food to achieve your goals!

#1 Set reasonable expectations

Unless you have a weight-restricted or physique competition coming up, I do not recommend starting an aggressive fat loss plan in November and December. Rather, focus on maintaining weight and getting stronger through the holidays. This stress of having to constantly avoid temptations can create negative behaviors towards food in general.

#2 Adopt a healthy mindset – no such thing as “good” or “bad” food

Simply, there are foods you eat more of the time, and foods you eat less frequently. You have the control; practice saying, “no thanks”. Small portions of foods that are not in your regular plan are unlikely to contribute to significant weight gain when you have them here and there – enjoy them! In contrast, too much restriction may to a binge meal turning into a day binge and then a weekend binge. This will have a strong contribution to fat gain. Don’t put any food off limits, allow yourself to enjoy a reasonable portion, and it will still be there later if you want more. This will curb the need to binge.

#3 Create a game plan for your holiday festivities

Chances are you already have a good idea of what events you’ll be attending over the next two months. Write them all down and think about each one. Are some more meaningful than others? You bet! Prioritize your eating plan for these events commensurately.

Office parties are usually potlucks and a hodgepodge of cheap bakery items from the grocery store as well as pre-packaged fat and sugar-laden snacks. No way do they taste as good nor bring back the same warm memories as mom’s pumpkin pie or other amazing dish. Wouldn’t it be better to hold off on indulging in these boring store-bought items in favor of your more important favorites? For each event, mentally prioritize when you will say “no thanks” and instead focus on the foods that will more deeply fulfill both your taste buds and emotions.

#4 Share your goals with friends and family

Some of your friends and family may not understand why you are moderating or passing up certain foods, to the extent that they may also make judgmental comments and create uncomfortable social situations. If you explain to them why you are doing what you do (e.g. I’m trying to get better at xyz, I’m training for a race, I’m trying to maintain my weight) it usually will deflate the situation. If you have a supportive family, they will be excited for you and become a source of encouragement towards your goals. If negative comments persist, remember that it is a reflection of them, not you.

If you have relatives or friends who you know you’ll be seeing over the holidays, visualize the potentially uncomfortable situation beforehand and decide how you are going to respond. In doing so, you won’t be caught off guard.

#5 Be mindful

First and foremost – holiday gatherings are about placing thoughts of work and other duties aside and living in the present to make memories with those you care about. Many of these memories are created around special meals. Savor the moments – engage in conversation – put your fork down often, and sip water between bites.

#6 Never go into a meal starving

Do not starve yourself leading up to a holiday meal by not eating all day. Have lighter meals and snacks before the big event so that you don’t plow in and trade the total experience for filling your stomach as quickly as possible. There is a lag time between when your stomach is full and when you brain says “I’m done”. Give your brain the time it needs to get these cues by eating slowly.

#7 Keep healthy snacks on-hand

The holidays usually mean more time shuttling around kids, shopping, preparing for guests, and more treats around the office. Don’t get caught out completely starving and leading you towards a sub-optimal food decisions. Keep protein bars, fruit, and other portable snacks in your bag or car to avoid a trip to a fast food joint or the break room at work.

#8 Control or ditch extra Halloween candy

Enjoy the Halloween candy you love (mine is Reese’s). Maybe for a few days, enjoy one piece every day as a ritual with your kids. It’s a great way to show them that there is no need to rush and eat all the candy, you can all enjoy a little each day.

In your head you may conjure the concern that these few individual pieces will contribute to catastrophic fat gain, however in the grand scheme it really won’t contribute meaningfully to your average weekly energy intake. Real fat gain will come from binge eating an entire bag of candy after having denied yourself small portions for weeks. 

Place leftover candy in the back of the freezer where you can’t access it as easily. By creating this “barrier” it will give you a few extra seconds to decide if you really want it right then. You’ll often find that given the extra moments to think about it you really aren’t in the mood, the craving was a passing emotion.

Another option is to give extra candy away or donate. I used to leave extra candy in the break room at work, other employees polished it off by by lunchtime.

#9 Holiday feasts – prioritize vegetables and proteins

Let’s face it – it’s challenging not to over-eat at holiday meals….but there are ways to minimize this. Protein and vegetables are the most satiating and filling. Start by filling up on these before heading in for stuffing, bread, and potatoes. In doing so your stomach will send signals to your brain you are fuller sooner, which will help keep you from going back for seconds.

If you want even more control, volunteer to host the meal so you know exactly what you are eating, or offer to bring healthier versions of side dishes.

#10  Moderate booze intake

Alcohol is a double-edged sword. It contributes to your calorie intake (as both a carb and a fat) and lowers your inhibitions towards food which can lead to over-eating. If you do decide to drink, opt for lite beers, distilled spirits, and wine instead of sugary cocktails. For every alcoholic drink, have a glass of water in between. Sometimes it’s more about just having a glass in your hand in social situations than actual alcohol consumption. Once again, prioritize when you are going to drink amidst all of the events. Volunteer in advance to be the driver for events that aren’t as important to you and when it’s no sacrifice to stay sober.   

#11  Don’t skip training!

With the slight additional daily energy intake over the holidays, now is the time to push yourself in the gym and get stronger.

A great supplement to your existing routine is to register for a monthly challenge where you pick one exercise and agree to do a certain number of reps per day. It’s a easy exercise and can be done anywhere. A great example is the Charity Challenge.  

#12  Increase Your NEAT

Increase your total daily energy expenditure by literally taking extra steps throughout the day. This will help mitigate the effects of increased daily calorie intake. Even small changes can have a large impact – park farther away in parking lots, take the stairs, walk or ruck to work, go for a stroll with your family after Thanksgiving dinner!

I wish you a wonderful holiday season enjoying time with friends and family, and hope that some of these tips come in handy. Start 2020 off on the right foot – if you need some help navigating your nutrition for November and December, please reach out to me.