The holiday season is generally viewed as an opportunity to take a break, relax, and spend additional time with friends and family. During many of these occasions, food plays an integral part in the festivities. Individuals frequently look forward to the various dishes, and in some cases these are closely tied to positive emotions and memories that make the overall experience even better. However, this can also be a cause of additional stress for many as they wonder how they will continue to maintain good nutrition throughout the many gatherings.
In this article, we will discuss the facts associated with the overall impact that the holiday season has on nutrition and health. In addition, we will go over actionable strategies that individuals can use to maximize enjoyment, decrease stress, and continue moving toward their goals.
How holidays impact eating behaviors
It is very common for individuals to consume more food during the holidays. One of the psychological factors contributing to this is a desire to indulge to feel as though one is fully enjoying the experiences.[1] There may be many options for individuals to consume that are not normally available other times of the year leading to individuals wanting to have some of everything. This is very common and can be observed across cultures.[1] Another factor to consider is how stress can impact food consumption. Although the holidays are typically viewed as overall happy occasions, there is no doubt that they also bring with them a particular type of stress. This stress or anxiety associated with celebration has been shown to lead to increased food intake.[1]
The impact of diet during the holidays
Less strict dieting during the holidays was not associated with significant differences in body weight at a 1-year follow-up.[2] This should come as a relief to those concerned about losing long-term progress during the holiday season. However, nutritional habits during the holidays do have a short-term impact on body weight. In general, individuals tend to gain weight during this time of year even if they are attempting to lose weight.[3] While body weight is not the only measurement that should be used when assessing overall health, this does indicate that diet and exercise should not be ignored completely. The holiday season constitutes approximately 1/12 of the year and can have an impact on your ability to pursue your short-term health and fitness goals. Therefore, it is important to find a balance and have a wide range of strategies to help maintain a reasonable diet so that you can leave the holiday season ready to tackle the start of the new year.
Strategies to continue to work towards your goals while maintaining enjoyment
Using multiple strategies to maintain an individual’s diet was shown to be more effective than relying on just one or two.4 Below are just some of the many ways that can make having good nutrition over the holidays easier.
Have protein with every meal, particularly early in the day. For active individuals, aiming for 1 g of protein per pound of body weight is a reasonable goal. Making sure that you start off the day with sufficient protein will help you feel satiated and allow for additional flexibility in your diet later in the day.
Don’t ignore micronutrients. It is important to continue to eat enough fruits and vegetables. The micronutrients they provide have a significant impact on how we feel throughout the day and are important for overall health.
Practice mindful eating. This simply refers to eating until you feel full but not beyond that. This will allow you to be satisfied after every meal while minimizing overeating, which tends to happen when individuals are stressed or otherwise distracted.
Continue to exercise regularly. While training plans may get disrupted due to various activities, it is important to stay active.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the holidays should be enjoyable. Try to find small ways to make maintaining a healthy diet easier and while avoiding stressing about your nutrition. The holiday season is not the end all be all but rather a time to set yourself up for success going into the new year.
References:
Abdulan IM, Popescu G, Maștaleru A, et al. Winter Holidays and Their Impact on Eating Behavior-A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2023;15(19):4201. Published 2023 Sep 28. doi:10.3390/nu15194201
Jorge R, Santos I, Teixeira VH, Teixeira PJ. Does diet strictness level during weekends and holiday periods influence 1-year follow-up weight loss maintenance? Evidence from the Portuguese Weight Control Registry. Nutr J. 2019;18(1):3. Published 2019 Jan 11. doi:10.1186/s12937-019-0430-x
Díaz-Zavala RG, Castro-Cantú MF, Valencia ME, Álvarez-Hernández G, Haby MM, Esparza-Romero J. Effect of the Holiday Season on Weight Gain: A Narrative Review. J Obes. 2017;2017:2085136. doi:10.1155/2017/2085136
Olson K, Coffino JA, Thomas JG, Wing RR. Strategies to manage weight during the holiday season among US adults: A descriptive study from the National Weight Control Registry. Obes Sci Pract. 2020;7(2):232-238. Published 2020 Dec 15. doi:10.1002/osp4.470
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