Buzz
With the endless supply of holiday sweets that invade our homes every December, it might seem reasonable to cut back on other foods to make space for more dessert. The idea is that eating fewer calories here to make room for them there will balance out in the end. But in reality, this approach may not be the best choice.
While dessert can certainly be part of a healthy diet when enjoyed in moderation, trying to completely avoid it could lead to overeating later. It's key to maintain balance, even during the holiday season. Your food choices can have a significant impact on both your body and your mind, especially in the midst of a busy time. Adding stress to your plate is the last thing you need—and your diet plays a big role in this.
Your diet influences how you cope with stress
A recent study published in the Clinical Nutrition journal reveals that individuals who consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables experience lower stress levels compared to those who do not. Additionally, research suggests that people who eat a diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and heart-healthy fats, like plant-based oils and fatty fish, tend to experience less depression and anxiety than those who opt for highly processed foods.
If you're looking to better manage stress, adopting a balanced and healthy diet—one that is low in processed foods—should be an integral part of your overall approach.
Incorporate healthy eating habits into your daily life.
In a world brimming with fast food, pizza, and irresistible holiday treats, completely eliminating processed foods from your diet is an approach destined for failure. Moreover, attempting to drastically change your eating habits all at once isn't a practical solution for lasting success.
Rather than overhauling your entire diet, a far better strategy is to aim for balance. Consider your personal dietary preferences, and continue to indulge in some of your favorite treats in moderation.
This concept formed the foundation of a recent dietary recommendation by the American Heart Association. Instead of encouraging individuals to overhaul their diets or suggest specific foods, the recommendation advocates for incorporating healthy eating patterns into your current lifestyle.
"Asking someone to eliminate foods they’ve grown up with or have personal significance usually doesn’t work," remarked Alice Lichtenstein, a scientist and the director of the Cardiovascular Nutrition Team at Tufts University, who was a co-author of the recommendation.
Whether this means exploring healthier alternatives to your go-to snacks, boosting your intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, or simply reducing the frequency and portion sizes of certain foods, the goal is to make healthy eating fit into your life, rather than forcing your life to adapt to a strict eating regimen.
How to indulge, in moderation, during the holidays
This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite holiday treats. But instead of skipping meals with the plan to load up on dessert, aim for a well-balanced dinner, followed by a smaller serving of dessert. And if you indulge a bit too much a few times during the month, don’t stress—it won’t ruin your diet or your body.
Small adjustments can truly accumulate over time, helping not only with better managing holiday stress but also with preventing or managing chronic health issues. "Gradual changes can have substantial long-term effects," said Lichtenstein. No pie: bad. Less pie over time: better.
