Healthy Holidays

Can you believe that Christmas is just around the corner?

I get it. It’s hard to think about eating healthy for the holidays. But if you continue to do what you’ve always done, you are going to get the same results. This year & next year & the year after that.

If you want different results….DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THIS YEAR.

Maybe switch to a plant-based diet & start cooking a few recipes. You won’t know which ones you like unless you experiment.

Two years ago I switched & never looked back. Do you know why? Because it was working. My health was improving, I was consistently losing weight & my cravings were going away.

Now I love this food. Now I’m off of cholesterol meds & blood pressure meds. Now I’m 60 pounds lighter. Now I feel so much better.

I've done a lot of traveling since changing my diet. I've stayed in many hotels. I've visited relatives and friends within driving distance. I've flown to see relatives. It can be done. If you’re traveling for Christmas and want to stay on your healthy plant-based diet, check out my travel guide on my website.

If you are staying home & maybe having company like me (I’m expecting 19 additional family members), here’s what I suggest. Plan your plant-based recipes (don’t go overboard) as you plan the menu for your guests.

For the week of Christmas, I’ll be planning 3 main dish recipes, 2 special salads (maybe green salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, or quinoa salad) & 1-2 desserts for me. Special recipes, but nothing overly time-consuming. I always have frozen veggies, potatoes, rice, beans, and frozen fruit on hand, if I need to add something.

Planning is the key, but if it gets hectic, keep it simple. Resort to some of your simple plant-based recipes.

Simple for me would be green beans cooked with potatoes & onions with a can of great northern beans added. Simple to me would be rice & beans with chopped onions and tomatoes thrown on top. I want special plant-based recipes, but mostly I want to eat healthy for every meal, so I may have to resort to simple.

My food is just as important to me as my guests' food is to them. Be consistent so they know you are serious about your efforts. Your health is important, so take it seriously, even during the holidays. 

Don’t forget to ask for help. Thankfully my family is very helpful & supportive. The first year, I told them NO VEGAN JOKES ALLOWED.

Remember eating healthy is a lifestyle change. It’s not temporary. Food is our medicine. You don’t stop taking your medicine because it’s Christmas, right?

You can do this. Push through. You will be so glad you did. Trust me.

Make it happen & you will be stronger for it.

Blessings for a wonderful Christmas season.

Take care of yourself.

Focus on the things you value the most.

Read my blog about the Misery of Christmas Past.

Misery of Christmas Past Blog