How to Limit Your Sugar Intake and Still Enjoy the Holidays
The holidays are right around the corner, and for a solid two months, all the way from Halloween to New Year’s celebrations, sugar will be everywhere. Because sugar is so easily accessible around the holidays—and because it’s part of many celebratory traditions—it can be extra challenging not to give in to temptation and overindulge your sweet tooth during this time. But it doesn’t have to be a choice between cutting back on sugar or joining in the festivities. Here are some of our top tips for how to limit your sugar intake and still enjoy the holidays.
What’s So Bad About Sugar?
One way to help yourself resist temptation is to remind yourself why you’re trying to limit your sugar intake. Because as sweet as sugar is, it can also be scary in the toll it takes on your health. Regulating your sugar intake isn’t just for those with diabetes. Sugar can cause problems like weight gain, high blood pressure, inflammation, and heart disease. Diets high in sugar and processed foods can also lead to imbalance in gut bacteria. And sugar is cited as a trigger for headaches, especially for migraine sufferers.
Identifying and remembering why you want to cut back on sugar—whether it’s to get your weight under control or simply enjoy your holidays more by avoiding painful headaches—can make it easier to stick to your goal when confronted with all those options on the dessert table.
Indulge Mindfully
Another way to get yourself into the right mindset for limiting your sugar intake while still having a great holiday season is to identify what role sugar plays in your celebrations. Maybe there’s a favorite dessert that’s become a family tradition. Maybe you feel like you’re not fully joining in the gathering if you don’t socialize over a slice of pie like everyone else. Whatever your reason, it’s important to recognize when a little sugar consumption is important to you and when it’s just mindless snacking. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a few sweet treats if you’re still sticking to your personal goals. So, when you do indulge, do so mindfully, and savor those sweets that are truly an important part of your celebration.
Now that you know why you’re cutting back on sugar—or choosing to allow yourself a small, mindful indulgence—here are a few easy tips for keeping your sugar consumption in control around all those holiday treats.
Drinks
While most people focus on avoiding desserts, many don’t realize how much sugar they’re downing in that peppermint latte or spiked apple cider. While water should always be your go-to beverage, it may not feel like the most festive. Try adding some flavorful additions, like citrus slices, fresh herbs, or berries to your water, or cut down your sweet drink with some seltzer. Warming drinks are also an essential part of the holiday festivities for many. You might try tea instead of mocha, or warm milk with spices for that cozy feel without all the added calories.
Fun in the Kitchen
Another option for cutting back on sugar while still enjoying some of your favorite treats is to make the goodies yourself. That way you can control exactly what goes into them. Many dessert recipes can easily be made with half the sugar and no one will be any the wiser. Plus, making treats together is part of
many family’s holiday traditions. So break out the cookie cutters and have some fun in the kitchen, knowing that you’re controlling your sugar intake while still making the most of the holiday season.
Sub with Savory Snacks
Although sugar is especially prevalent over the holidays, it’s not the only snack option out there. Trade some of your sweet treats for savory options as you enjoy the mixed nuts, veggie trays, and cheeses that are also part of the festive feast.
Eat Beforehand
Whether you’re joining friends at a cookie swap or out running endless holiday errands, leaving the house hungry can make it all too easy to reach for whatever is at hand, be that cookies at the swap or a biscotti and pumpkin spice cappuccino at Starbucks. Before you head out, eat a healthy snack or meal and make sure you’re hydrated so it’s easier to resist grabbing something sweet.
Prioritize Your Health
Get an early start on prioritizing your health with a visit to our office. Our team of experienced practitioners can help you get the most out of a healthy holiday season, whether that’s preventative chiropractic treatments to reduce the negative impacts of holiday stress, recommendations on vitamins and supplements to keep you healthy, or advise on diet and exercise habits appropriate for your lifestyle. At Tracy and Keim, we focus on holistic wellness, and we know that taking care of yourself is key to enjoying yourself. Contact us today for a healthy start to your holidays!
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Weight Loss
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