Tis The Season to be Healthy!
The holiday season, an absolute festive time of the year that is filled with twinkling lights, holiday cheer, gift giving, and a whole lot of cooking, eating, and taste testing. Food is always constantly associated with celebrations and is the heart of many family traditions. The holiday season can be a time where many people like to take a pause from there health goals and wait until the new year to begin their new trendy diet. However, what many people fail to admit is their new trendy diet does not last very long into the new year. Why does this happen you may ask? The answer is simple! Your diet is not teaching you intuitive eating.
Intuitive eating will help you understand how to make peace with food and your cravings rather than deprive yourself from certain foods. The holiday season should not make you become envious of the delicious food in front of you, but happy you can enjoy these feasts. Everyone’s relationship with food is different and there is not one secret formula out there that can fix everyone’s eating habits. Intuitive eating and a balanced diet go hand in hand. These two factors can be the missing components that allow you consume the foods you want guilt free. After all, grandmas’ holiday cookies are a once in a year enjoyment that you cannot decline.
The concept of “balance diet” is a term that is always thrown around but rarely acted upon. Have you ever heard someone say, “You can eat whatever you want as long as you have a balanced diet!” The truth is, you can absolutely indulge in your sweet or savory cravings and still be a healthy individual with a balanced diet. Portion control is an essential component to follow when beginning your balanced diet routines. Here are some simple portion control visuals to keep in mind when preparing your meal.
Deck of Cards / Palm of Your Hand
3 oz equivalent for protein-based foods
Animal proteins should be consumed at 2-3oz
Plant based proteins should be at least 3 oz
Hockey Puck / Tennis Ball
½ cup equivalent
Useful for whole grains such as rice,
pasta, popcorn and more
Baseball / Fist Size
1 cup equivalent
Best used for raw or cooked vegetables, fresh fruit, and 100% fruit juice
Pair of Dice
2 teaspoons equivalent
Best used for fats such are olive oil, coconut oil, and others
Butter should be consumed at 1 teaspoon
Thumb
1 tablespoon equivalent
Best used for spreads such as peanut butter, almond butter, and more
When it comes to learning how to eat wholesomely many people do not know where to being. As a result, you may fall into web traps of misleading information, persuasive ads, fad diets, and nutrition advice from discredited sources. Before acting upon any fad diet or magic weight loss pill you should always consult with a doctor or registered dietitian. If neither of the options are available to you, looking up articles by accredited nutrition professionals can also be insightful before potentially putting your body as risk. At Forever Fitness, health coaches are available to you to help discuss important topics like intuitive eating and are here to support you through your journey of a wholesome healthy lifestyle.
