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We are entering the holiday season, and for most of us that means drinks, baking and lots of food! 

It also means intense chronic illness symptoms, weight gain, upset stomach and feeling older and more “blah” than usual. 

If you know me, you know that I don’t recommend restrictive diets unless absolutely necessary. I also want your gut to be in tip top shape so you can indulge without fear. 

As we enter the holiday season, temptations are everywhere!

Here are my top 5 tips to enjoying the holidays without missing out on the goodness. 

 

#1) Eat more! 

Yes, I said it. Eat more. If you are giving your body healthy for you foods, you will be able to eat your favourite holiday treats without feeling yucky, gaining weight or waking up in pain. 

Eat before you go: Eat a healthy snack before heading out to dinner. Give your body the goodness it needs so you are not starving or finding yourself eating ALL the baking at your Grammas. 

 

#2) Look for Sugar Free Recipes

One of the biggest traditions of the holidays is baking. Look for sugar free options: there are plenty! 

Use date sugar or maple syrup to sweeten. The natural sweeteners are not processed and will not cause you to have the sugar crash that keeps you going for more. 

Bake with 1/2 the sugar. I have never found a recipe that I couldn’t bake with 1/2 the amount of sugar. If you simply cannot bring yourself to replace or avoid the sugar, use 1/2 the amount. You might surprise yourself. 

 

#3) Drink plenty of Water!

Water. It sounds so simple and it is. Often when we are reaching for more or when the cravings start- it is because you are thirsty. 

Water really is so important for our body and it helps your body get rid of the wastes. When we are eating in a way that we don’t normally eat we are asking our digestive system to work overtime. So let’s help our gut by drinking more water! 

 

#4) Listen to your body and your Intuition 

One of the hardest things you can do is say no. When Gramma is pushing an extra cookie down your throat and complaining that everyone is on some kind of diet… take it and feed it to the dog when no one is looking. 

If you know that this is going to be bad, rather than using the excuse of the “holidays” you can simply say “No thank you.”

It’s been one of the hardest things for me to learn. I never want to insult the time or energy someone else has taken to make me something to eat, however the pain and suffering that I endure from just eating it because its there is not worth it. You have the right to say no. 

 

#5 Bring your Own Meal!

If you are in a stage of healing where you must be extremely careful with what you put in your body, bring your own food. If spending time with friends and family is important you, and deep down you really want to go to dinner but you:

  1. Do not want to sit there hungry and hangry. 
  2. Are terrified of what people like to sneak into their holiday specialities.

Bring your own AND eat before you go!

You might feel awkward bringing your own food to someone’s house for dinner. 

Do it anyways. 

Doing what’s best for your own health and wellness is never weird. 

What tip will you try first?