Eating Healthy During the Holidays
It’s that time of year of year again – the time where we struggle with eating healthy and keeping our fitness goals in mind. Though, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Midtown Athletic Clubs want to empower members with the knowledge and motivation to cook healthy options for their loved ones all season long. Many clubs host workshops throughout the season demonstrating how healthy cooking can be fun and tasty while introducing new recipes. Check out the events page for your local club for more information.
We recently caught up with Chef Dan Sava who hosts monthly cooking workshops alongside Registered Dietician, Dina Genovese. November was all about choosing the right ingredients and making smart decisions for your health and fitness goals.
Dan demonstrated three tasty recipes including wild rice, kale, and mushroom stuffing, sweet potatoes with ginger and honey, and the holiday staple – cranberry sauce. This class was fun, interactive, and full of nutritional facts that stress the importance of healthy eating – including the fact that studies show the average American gains at least one pound during the holidays and most never take it off again.
Need inspiration for other dishes? We’ve enjoyed this hearty salad (Vegan, gluten-free), dairy-free stuffing (can be made gluten-free by opting for gluten-free bread), apple sweet potato quinoa salad (vegan, gluten-free), honey garlic roasted carrots (vegetarian and paleo), and maple balsamic brussels sprouts (vegan, gluten-free).
We can’t forget about dessert! Some of our favorite desserts include: “chocolate” bark (vegan), nut-free dream cups (vegan, gluten-free), and the classic pumpkin pie (vegan, gluten-free).
When making your holiday list some tips to keep in mind include:
Buy fresh – fresh produce produces more flavor and provide more nutrients than frozen or canned options.
Plan ahead – allow yourself one or two days to plan your menu and shop before stores become crowded with last-minute shoppers.
Start small – it can often time be overwhelming for both, you and your family to try to overhaul the entire holiday tradition overnight. We suggest swapping ingredients for healthier options (avocado, applesauce, dairy-free butter, almond or coconut milk, almond or coconut flour), or including one or two new sides in addition to family favorites.
Savor the meal – it’s common to joke about how long the meal preparation takes, all to then be devoured in minutes. Slow down, converse with loved ones you don’t see often, and enjoy your food. This will allow you to not overeat and avoid the post-turkey crash, or food coma.
Love yourself – avoid counting calories or stressing if you indulge or slip up, it’s okay! Tomorrow is a new day and one cheat day won’t hurt your long-term fitness goals.
From our family to yours, we wish you a happy holiday season!