Finding Balance during the Holidays

Welcome to the holidays 

And just like that we are in the holiday season! For most of us, this comes with work parties, family events, and other gatherings with plenty to eat and drink. This holiday season is what often ignites the January "new year, new me" mentality. How are you treating your holiday season year? 

The benefits of indulging 

I talk with my clients about balance. Most people are not satisfied with an extremely strict diet 24/7, and it actually isn't always good for you. Having variety in our diets is key and even rotating between intermittent fasting, light meals, and big meals is important. If you are someone who usually eats smaller meals, then having a larger meal, like Thanksgiving, can actually reset your metabolism. Eating a large calorie meal increases leptin levels which can contribute to burning more calories. Leptin is a hormone released by your body to help you maintain your normal weight long term. This being said, if you frequently eat high caloric meals leptin doesn't work the same way. I say all this to bring up the idea of balance in life and rotating your eating patterns to find out what works for you. If you are struggling with weight, I encourage you to explore different ways to take in nutrients and see what feels energizing for you. 

Could it help you live longer? 

Thanksgiving and similar holidays often aren't just about the meal. You might be gathering with friends and family, catching up, laughing, grounding yourself. Centenarians, people who live to be over 100 years old, eat almost all their meals amongst friends and family which shows the importance of having a community around you. I hope you choose to surround yourself with people who add to your happiness. 

What to do before and after the big meal

It depends what time of day your gathering is at but I will share my tried and true tips for eating around 4pm. I try to stick to my usual morning routine which is my anti-aging drink with a greens powder around 6am and some type of shake with protein around 9-10am. The greens powder is important on a day like this because it has probiotics and other great ingredients to protect and build up my gut. After that, it's a fast until the meal. At the meal, I try to eat the proteins on the plate first, followed by veggies, followed by carbs. Eating this order helps make sure you get the nutrients from the essential macronutrients before diving into the carbs and sugars and is important especially if you fill up quickly. After eating, I grab whoever is around and go for a walk! This is absolutely key and you will get very tired if you don't do this. This isn't only important for energy levels but helps to regulate your insulin levels and blood sugar. If you are a diabetic, pre-diabetic, or worried about your weight don't skip this. 

Healthi Takeaways 

Remember, don't be hard on yourself for enjoying time with family and friends a few times per year. If you are, however, making a habit of meals like this or think you frequently overindulge, it is important to check your labs. My in-depth panels give you a score of your likelihood to develop diabetes in the next 10 years and can help us decipher what is contributing to weight issues. Inflammation levels may also be elevated if our diet hasn't been ideal and could quickly turn into a body-wide problem. Above all, I encourage you to pay attention to how food makes you feel and have that be your driver for the way you eat. Sure, eating a massive meal with high carbs and sugars is extremely enjoyable in the moment, but how do you feel after the fact? I try to eat foods that give me energy and aid my GI tract rather than causing bloating, constipation, and stomach aches. 

Don't forget to check your email for my two Black Friday specials! This week only I have a huge discount on at home testing and a self-taught course I created with all my secrets. Reach out here to get more info! 

Stay Healthi,

Hannah