My secret to a Healthy Christmas
When we think of Christmas, we think of sweets and candy and how much weight we will gain from over indulging in it. If you are anything like me, I do not have any self control to resist or say no when I am surrounded with all the holiday goodies. Here are a few tricks that help me find balance during the holdiays.
Take a veggie or fruit tray!
If you take a delicious looking veggie or fruit tray, you can at least fill yourself with nutrient dense food, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. That way if you do have a few "bad treats" you don't have to feel as guilty!
Watch out for the NITRATES!
What are nitrates? They are in most processed meats like summer sausage, lunch meat, jerky, etc. So if this is something you like eating at holiday parties, take a nitrate free meat tray. Meat trays can be a great thing, because they are loaded with protein and healthy fats, but what is hidden in them? If you aren't buying good quality Nitrate Free meats, then you are consuming neurotoxins. What does that mean? Basically, an increased risk of alzheimers or destroying your nervous system....no big deal, just the one system in your body the controls EVERYTHING! Depending where you shop, most grocery stores these days carry the Applegate Farm brand, and their meats are all Nitrate free. So when shopping for the meat tray, just flip the package over and see if it contains the work "nitrate", if so, keep looking!
Sugar, SuGaR, SUGAR!
Most of us are totally addicted to SUGAR. And the reason it is so dangerous is because it causes us to gain weight, feeds cancer cells, and shuts off our immune system....no big deal, right?!?! So what I have done over the last few years, is I have found healthy alternatives. So I now use honey, banana or coconut sugar in all my recipes as a sweetener. Not only that, but I add almond flour or almond and/or peanut butter to most of the recipes so there is protein too. Adding protein helps your body to process the sugar slower so you don't have the huge sugar spike and crash.
I am not saying you cannot indulge this Holiday season, but if you want to increase your chances of staying well and limit the weight gain, utilize these three tips when making your food choices! Also, make the holiday baking more about the memories of who you are making the special treats with rather than just fulfilling your cravings. I have a wonderful little helper who loves to bake. This was her helping me make pie for thanksgiving (sorry for the messy background, we were in the process of finishing our kitchen reno).
Here are a few of my favorite Christmas holiday baking recipes:
These are the items we will be making for Christmas! Although since we have told my 2 year old daughter that Christmas is Jesus' Birthday....she is very adamant about making Jesus a Strawberry Cake so we can sing Happy Birthday. So I better find a good recipe for that too!
If I don't get to see you before Christmas, I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas filled with wonderful memories!
