As the holidays approach, I am sure many have already been confronted with temptations of sweets and other dishes that come with the festivities. I know I have. I adore this time of year getting together with friends and family sharing food and love all around. When it comes to being healthy, we have to be realistic when it comes to eating. We can’t be afraid in indulging ourselves at times especially during the holidays. Life is too short to miss out on the pleasures it brings. Eating the same types of foods day after day can get boring. Diets are meant to vary like when you go on vacation trying different local cuisines, are pregnant having an increased requirement for essential nutrients or are feeling under the weather with a slower metabolism to focus your body’s energy on the immune system. My commitment to eating when it comes to my health is to follow the 80/20 rule.
The 80/20 rule means that the majority or around 80% of the time, you eat the nutritious foods that you know will be beneficial to your health. The other 20% allows you to give in to your taste buds with foods that may not be so good for you. This way, you can still feel good about your food choices overall. Let’s say you decide to help yourself to many rich dishes at Christmas dinner but know that it’s not the best for you when considering your diet. You can either choose to eat your meal while savouring the flavour and taking delight in it. Or you can choose to feel bad or guilty disabling you from enjoying the full experience of all the delicious food. The latter choice will negatively affect your digestion and may indicate an unhealthy relationship with food. Maybe it’s best to just stick to your diet if the guilt will overwhelm you and give your attention to praising yourself with strong discipline. Whenever you commit to starting a diet, always set yourself up to win. You make up the rules on what is allowed and what is forbidden. Complying to the rules you created that’s simple to abide by, results in feeling good about yourself while being more likely to eat healthier for a longer period of time.
Maintain a healthy balance like the 80/20 rule with the foods you choose to consume. It’s your habitual lifestyle that affects your overall health not what you eat over Christmas. After the holidays, my body may feel a little sluggish wanting to get back to my regular routine. When you have experienced how the right foods for you give you better energy, nourishment and well-being, you’ll want to return to that healthy eating lifestyle. Eat, drink and be merry this Christmas season. Happy holidays and all the best in the new year!
Diana Angeles // Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant™