What Our Nutritionists Do (and Recommend You Do) When the Holiday Treat Season Hits

Transcript:

Britni: Welcome to Dishing Up Nutrition, brought to you by Nutrition Weight & Wellness. Now that we are in the thick of the holiday season, you may already be feeling like you've overindulged in treats over the past few weeks. Today we're going to be talking about a topic that sneaks up on almost everyone this time of year.

Those holiday treats, they feel like they are everywhere you turn. So we're going to talk about how do you navigate them while still enjoying the season and feeling good coming up on the new year. I am Britni Vincent, a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and with me today to share her advice and getting through the holidays is my co-host Brandy Buro, who is also a Registered and Licensed Dietitian.

Brandy: Well, thanks Britni. It's good to be here with you. And you're right, this is the time of year, it's just, it's hard to avoid the treats. They're everywhere. Everywhere you turn: work parties, school events, there's the cookie exchange. You might be gifted some treats. They might be thrust upon you.

Britni: Yeah. Whether you like it or not.

Brandy: That’s right. So it's like we're just kind of like immersed in this environment that it's challenging, and even as dietitians, we have to navigate this. And try to come up with strategies to stay on top of our nutrition and our health throughout it all. And I think a lot of people might assume that as dieticians, we always eat perfectly. We're never tempted by this kind of thing, but that's just not true.

Britni: Yeah. It’s not true.

Brandy: We’re humans and we've had to figure out how to navigate special occasions and holidays, just like everybody else does. So today we're going to be sharing some of the strategies that work for us, getting through the holidays while feeling our best.

And really, it doesn't mean that we're not partaking in some of those treats or enjoying ourselves. It's not total deprivation. Because like I said, we want to kind of partake and enjoy the holidays and part of that is treats. And I would say these strategies that we're going to share today are relevant not just during the holidays, but for any celebration, vacation, social gathering. So yeah, this is a good one to kind of take some notes on.

The holiday season makes avoiding sugar tricky

Britni: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I mean, let's just talk about why this season makes avoiding sugar so tricky, because the reality is it is not just willpower. It's biochemistry, traditions, sometimes social pressure. All of those pieces can, can play a part in this.

Brandy: Totally.

Britni: And sugar, it's tied to celebrations, like you said. And our brains literally release dopamine when we eat sugar. And dopamine is that neurotransmitter that makes you feel really great, makes you feel motivated, happy, so you're left craving more because that dopamine hit from sugar, it in reality does not last long.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: And then your brain is like, oh, I want another hit. I mean, I think a lot of us can relate to, you have a little bit of sugar. And it doesn't take much to lead you wanting more.

Brandy: Yeah. It's a tough cycle to break.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: And then I think there's like that scarcity mentality on top of that where some of these treats may only appear this time of year. And you think to yourself, well, this is the only time of year I'm going to have this piece of pie or this special cookie. So it just makes you want it more and you might be motivated to have it in large quantities to kind of get your fill, so to speak.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: I think that's very true. And more sugar just leads to more sugar.

How to handle holiday situations (Tip #1: Eat in balance)

Britni: Yeah. Yeah. So let's just dive right into how do we handle all of these situations? And I think the biggest overall message is to eat in balance each day over the holidays, just like you would any other day. Like when things are fully in your control, eat the way you always do. And except again, we're not aiming for perfection here, but if you are staying consistent for the most part with your real food eating, that's going to make a world of difference.

And of course there's holiday celebrations, but most meals through the holidays are just at home during your regular weekdays and even on days where there is a holiday gathering, blood sugar balance earlier in that day is going to be key for feeling good, and not leading to feeling starving by the time you get there.

Brandy: Exactly, so doing your absolute best not to show up to this event overly hungry.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: Because when you're overly hungry because you didn't eat breakfast or you skipped lunch, your blood sugar is already going to be so low that your decisions around food are often not going to be very thoughtful. So try to stick to your normal rhythm.

Don't skip meals just to save calories to indulge later because even when parties are looming, I don't skip breakfast. I don't skip lunch thinking that I'm going to kind of go crazy at this party. You know, I just keep a regular meal schedule. I'll probably even have a snack before I head into this party just so that my blood sugar is stable. I'm not experiencing any cravings. And then when I make decisions around food, I'm doing so with a clear mind.

Britni: Yeah. That's so smart. It makes it so much easier because being overly hungry makes sugar feel irresistible. I mean, we've all been there. And then you overindulge and you feel just really crappy at the end of it.

Brandy: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Bloated and tired.

Britni: Yeah, and then you can't even fully enjoy the party. And getting together with your family and friends and all of that. So, you know, you mentioned the snack; depending on the timing of, of the gatherings, I also like to eat a protein rich snack before a party, just again, to satiate me. So I'm going into it not overly hungry and stabilizing my blood sugar. And so this could be like whipping up a quick smoothie. It could be like even in the car eating a meat stick and some nuts.

Brandy: Yep. Perfect.

Britni: You know, it could be a little bit of leftovers. You could make a batch of our peanut butter protein balls from our website. That is a good one. You can find that at weightandwellness.com or in our cookbook if you have that. And then I personally in that recipe use almond flour instead of oat flour, so that…

Brandy: Oh, nice.

Britni: …reduces the carbs a little bit even more, but something like that is easy. You can freeze them; kind of a grab and go option.

Brandy: Kids like that one too, I think so. So if kids are cranky and hungry, like throw them a couple too.

Britni: That is so true. So this way we're showing up satisfied, not starving, less likely to overindulge in sweets because our blood sugar's stable and then we're able to enjoy the people there more too.

Brandy: Exactly. Yeah. You want to have fun; that's the point.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: And you never really know when dinner's going to start.

Britni: That is so true.

Brandy: It’s like it might be an hour or two before or after you get there, so it's like you don't want to be hungry already and then have to wait two hours.

Britni: Yep.

Bring a healthy dish to pass

Brandy: Yeah. So, and you know, speaking of the party and the menu at the party, or the holiday gathering, if it's possible, or if it seems appropriate to bring something to share, I highly recommend doing so. And that's one of my favorite strategies, is bring a dish. Usually I'll bring like a veggie side or a really good protein option.

That way at least I know that there's something that aligns with my health goals. Like my food plan that I can fill up on and feel good about. You might just want to reach out to the host ahead of time to kind of see if there are any gaps in the menu, anything that makes sense to kind of fill in; anything they need help with.

Especially if you are somebody that has any food sensitivities, like a gluten intolerance or you can't eat dairy. You know, it's just nice to know that you have something reliable to choose from and you're not asking the host to do something special. So that's something that I like to do. What are some things that you might make?

Britni: Yeah, I do this too. I like to bring a salad, and this time of year, there's a version of this on our website, a Brussels sprout salad. So it's shaved Brussels sprouts, which you can buy already shaved.

Brandy: Awesome.

Britni: A homemade dressing. Then I top it with pomegranate seeds because it looks festive.

Brandy: That is nice.

Britni: I usually add like slivered almonds or chopped pecans on top. Sometimes I'll add mixed greens or arugula, and then I will bring some like Parmesan or some sort of cheese on the side. Because lots of people are dairy sensitive nowadays, so then people can add it as they want.

Brandy: Perfect.

Britni: Yeah. It's an easy salad and it stays good. It doesn't get soggy. I was just talking to one of my clients yesterday and her strategy is she always brings shrimp cocktail.

Brandy: Ooh, I love that.

Britni: And then she made a great point. She feels like if she brings it, she can have a large amount of it. And she knows for her, and I think this is true for all of us, if we load up on that protein, all those sweets are going to be so much less tempting.

Brandy: A hundred percent. Yeah. Just because protein is so satiating.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: And if you bring it yourself, then it's just kind of an insurance policy.

Britni: Totally. Yeah. What do you like to bring?

Brandy: Well I also do a salad in a similar variety with kind of like deep leafy greens, balsamic dressing, vinegarette. I like to bring a salad because in my family it's a lot of beige food if I don't. So I need some color there. But I will also bring like a charcuterie tray with like nitrate free deli meats and some good cheeses and pickles and fresh vegetables.

Britni: Can't go wrong with that.

Brandy: Yeah. Just something like really balanced and has some good options for everybody just to kind of snack on.

Britni: Yeah. Perfect.

Strategy tips for filling up your plate

Brandy: Yeah, so that's what I like to do. And yeah, just thinking about the meal itself, one strategy that I wanted to share is, you know, when you're filling up your plate, visualize it like this, you know, fill up half of your plate with those vegetables, whether it's the salad, couple things from the veggie tray. Maybe there is that Brussels sprout salad that you mentioned.

And then maybe you know, a good portion, maybe like a third of your plate, fill it up with protein. Maybe it's turkey or ham or that shrimp cocktail. And then that last little portion could be maybe the treat that you want or something starchier your like sweet potatoes or the wild rice stuffing, something like that. So that's just one way to kind of visualize your plate, to prioritize the things that are going to make you feel the best. You're not totally depriving yourself of the sugar or the sweets.

Britni: I like that visual. I think that's really helpful.

Brandy: Yeah, just giving yourself a little bit of guidance.

Britni: And again, it's not by taking that approach, it doesn't necessarily forbid anything. It just gives your plate structure so sugar and carbs don't dominate the whole meal. Because I think if you go into it saying, I can't have this right, that can lead to binging on things.

Brandy: Exactly.

Britni: Because you're feeling deprived and you know, human nature, for a lot of us, if we say we can't have it, well we want it even more.

Brandy: You might rebel against your own self.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: And yeah, with that method, when you are prioritizing more of those high fiber vegetables and the protein, that is immediately going to help stabilize your blood sugar. And we talked about that earlier, how important it is to keep blood sugar stable so that you're less likely to have cravings for sugar.

Because when your blood sugar's stable and you're feeling full and satisfied, then you can kind of step back, check in with yourself and ask yourself, do I even really want the desserts that are offered here, you know. because they are not always all that depending on who's making them.

Britni: Right? Like, do you just, I mean, for me, myself, it's like, oh, if I see something then I think I want it. But like you said, if you think about it, it's like it's really not going to taste that great. It's not worth it to me.

Brandy: Right. Sometimes it's not worth how you feel afterwards.

Britni: Yes. All of those things. And I think part of this is knowing yourself because there are individuals that really probably need to avoid sugar because that little bit could send you eating sugar for weeks. I mean, I do have clients like that.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: So if that is you just acknowledging that. I do think there is something to be said about there's a gathering and there's a dessert you really enjoy that you know is going to be there. You're planning to have that versus impulsively eating a bunch of Christmas cookies. You know, that planning I think, can be helpful to break that cycle and not lead into eating sugar for days.

Brandy: Exactly. Yeah. Planning, giving yourself permission, enjoying it, and moving on. And I think it's also important to remember that it is okay to, you know, pass on the sugar and desserts and it's okay to regift or even toss any treats that maybe are gifted to you that you're not really interested in, or maybe they found their way in the house and you don't really want to eat it but you maybe feel obligated.

Polite or acceptable ways to pass on select food items (& enjoy a small amount of something if you really want it!)

You know, honestly, there's no reason to eat something that doesn't bring you joy or doesn't make you feel good. So it's okay to say no thank you if you know that's just not something that is going to work for you, or if somebody's like really persistent in trying to push something on you, it's okay to say no.

Britni: Absolutely. Yeah. It's not worth you feeling poorly just to appease somebody else.

Brandy: Right. Exactly. And I know it can be a sensitive topic because we are so worried about hurting other people's feelings. But if it is somebody that really cares about you, and it's somebody that you know, and I would hope that they would understand.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: You know, they would want you to feel your best.

Britni: And I do think for the most part, people don't care.

Brandy: True. Yeah. People don't care as much as we think they do.

Britni: Yeah. I mean, there are exceptions to that, but, people might be offering just to be kind and they don't really care if you say no or not.

Brandy: Right. Yeah. So just saying like, no, thank you. It's a perfectly acceptable answer. Or, you know, I'm good right now, but I, I couldn't possibly be, I'm just too full.

Britni: Yeah, that's good.

Brandy: Is there any line that you give people?

Britni: I just say no, thank you. I mean, I'm gluten-free, so sometimes if somebody is more persistent, I've said that before. But I think that's a good one to say, “I'm full right now, maybe later”.

Brandy: Mm-hmm.

Britni: And then you just don't. There's no later.

Brandy: Rarely do people call back.

Britni: Exactly. Right. You know, and if I'm at a holiday celebration where there are several dessert options and I want to enjoy one, I do think, like we talked about earlier, once I fill up on the other stuff, oftentimes, I don't want one at that point, but if I decide I do, I look through the options, choose which one I'm going to enjoy the most, and eat it slowly;

Actually savor it instead of, you know, eating it in two bites and being done. Or you know, sometimes I'll share something with my husband. If you just want a taste of something that can be, that can be helpful to share it with somebody.

Brandy: Yeah. Sometimes a taste is just enough. I think some of those desserts are so much sweeter than the things I'm used to eating that anymore just actually isn't that enjoyable for me personally.

Britni: Yeah, I agree.

Healthier holiday beverage alternatives to consider

Brandy: I do want to touch base a little bit on, you know, outside of desserts, other kind of seasonal things that might be adding to the mix here when it comes to sugar are the holiday drinks.

Britni: Absolutely.

Brandy: You think there's like eggnog, there's hot chocolate, there's apple cider, there's the mulled wine. There's all these special seasonal drinks that are just, they really add up fast when it comes to the sugar content and you can basically equate that to drinking, you know, several tablespoons of sugar per drink.

Britni: Yeah. Which nobody would ever actually do. Right?

Brandy: Nobody’s going to pour three tablespoons of sugar in a glass and enjoy that. So, you know, that is, something to be mindful about, you know, if you are going to have a special beverage, just be aware that there's likely hidden sugars. And maybe just making a smarter more intentional choice around that.

Britni: Yeah. I mean, there's so many flavored sparkling waters out there. A lot of times there's seasonal flavors. If you add them to a wine glass, it can make it feel a little bit special. You could do a mocktail with soda water and some bitters. You could even throw a couple cranberries or pomegranate seeds in there, a sprig of rosemary. So it looks pretty, but I think it's quite tasty as well. So there are a lot of options and we are going to take a quick break, but when we return, we're going to provide some other, drink options to consider.

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Welcome back to Dishing Up Nutrition. I am Britni Vincent. I'm here with Brandy Buro and we have been talking about how to navigate the holiday season and before break we were talking about beverages because there are so many sugary options out there, and, you know, nowadays a lot of people are embracing an alcohol free lifestyle, so they, I think there's more options than ever before. With that being said, if you're buying something pre-made, I would read the ingredients because a lot of those kind of mocktails can have a lot of sugar in them.

Brandy: True.

Britni: So be aware of that. And if you are going to decide to partake in drinking alcohol, I would say be mindful of what you're drinking. Are you having alcohol and mixing it with a bunch of sugar? Like is there a lower sugar option? And you could use those mocktail ideas we just talked about with a cocktail instead of pop or juice or something like that. And then maybe you don't have as much as you would in the past and alternating drinking water as well.

Brandy: Yeah. Alternate with one of those either plain water or one of those more upgraded non-alcoholic beverages.

Britni: Yep, yep.

Brandy: Yeah, I'm a big fan of like putting a Spindrift in a nice glass with some ice, maybe with, I love the rosemary idea. That always makes it feel special.

Britni: Yeah, I like that. The Spindrift idea is good, because it has a little bit more flavor than a regular sparkling water would, so it might feel a little more special and different.

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: And I think there's even a cranberry flavor that you could do.

Brandy: There's an apple flavor that I like this time of year. Sometimes I'll mix that with like a little bit of kombucha, which gives it like a little tartness.

Britni: Yeah. Yum.

Brandy: Yeah. So yeah, there's definitely ways to still enjoy a cocktail without going overboard with alcohol or the sugar.

Britni: Mm-hmm. Absolutely.

Navigating everyday temptations during the holiday season

Brandy: So we have talked about holiday parties and gatherings, but I think we should talk about the everyday temptations that you can encounter during this time of year, because the treats are not just at the holiday gatherings. They're at work, they're at the store, they're maybe even in your own home. So there can be a lot of opportunities for grazing on treats. You know, maybe a cookie there, a little piece of fudge there. A little piece of candy from the candy jar, you know. I was at the dermatologist yesterday; they had a huge candy dish of holiday treats. It's like, why is this here?

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: So you're kind of like exposed to it everywhere and suddenly, you know, it really adds up to a lot of sugar if you're not careful. So I really just for myself, I set boundaries around that. Like, I don't really graze, I didn't take the candy at the dermatologist's office. If you have a break room with treats, you can make a decision. Like I'm not going to partake in that. Really limiting your treats to meal times might be one way to kind of put some boundaries around the grazing.

One other thing to think about is look at your own home environment. That's where you have the most control. Keeping some of those treats out of sight, you know, if, if you have them at home, keep them in the cupboard out of reach or even think about getting rid of them.

Britni: Mm-hmm.

Brandy: You know, re-gifting or like we talked about earlier, just saying no thank you if they're offered. So they never enter the home at all. Out of sight, out of mind kind of mentality.

Britni: Totally. Yep. I think those are really great suggestions and, you know, always pausing and asking yourself, how am I going to feel after this?

Brandy: Exactly. Is it worth it?

Britni: Yeah. Yeah. Am I going to have joint pain? Am I going to feel tired? You know, some people it affects their mood, all of those things. So taking that pause, I think a lot of times you're going to decide, hmm, it's not worth it right now. And the, you know, keeping it to meal times is great, because it does set boundaries, but then also if you're having it after protein and veggies, the fiber, the fat, that's also going to reduce the blood sugar effect from that sugar too.

Brandy: Exactly. Right. The impact on your blood sugar is less dramatic when you pair it with all that protein and fiber.

Britni: And then, you know, just knowing yourself. I mean, I personally rarely have dessert in my house because it's just too tempting. And it calls my name and I do find myself grazing on it. So it is just easier to say, nope; not keeping it in here and like you said out of sight, out of mind.

Tips & tricks surrounding the cookie exchange (and healthier alternative options)

Brandy: Yeah. I mean, that's the way I am too. If it is there, it will get eaten eventually. Another holiday temptation is that cookie exchange. I hear so much about that.

Britni: Yeah. That's a big one too, right?

Brandy: It's a tradition for so many people that, you know, it gives people the chance to spend time together. It's something a lot of people don't want to give up. But then what do you do? You have four dozen cookies at home. Six. I don't know.

Britni: Yeah, some people have a lot.

Brandy: It's like, what are you going to do with all those cookies? So my advice is if this is something that you'd like to do, have a plan with what you're going to do with what you make.

Britni: Smart.

Brandy: You know, is, is there a need to have six dozen cookies at home or do you have specific people that you plan to give those to, or places you plan to drop them off so that you are protecting your home environment? Or maybe it's just making a smaller batch of whatever it is that you decide to make.

So you just have a very modest supply at home. So that's one thing to think about. Like we've mentioned, the best way to avoid some of these things is not having them around. Out of sight, out of mind is usually the path to success.

Britni: Yeah, I agree. And you know, maybe it doesn't mean making cookies. You could make spiced nuts as a gift for friends and family, either sweetened with cinnamon and nutmeg, or you could make them savory. I like to make them like a sweet and spicy blend. And this can feel like a treat during the holidays.

Brandy: Totally.

Britni: Like we said, we can gift them. You put them in a glass jar, wrap a nice ribbon around it. I've also made them and brought them to gatherings. And people always love them.

Brandy: Yeah. Those are a hit. That's, I would say one of my new holiday traditions is the spiced nuts. You know, and then you can still get together, you know, if you wanted to do that with your friends instead of the cookies. You're still creating together and spending time together.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: One of my friends and I got together and made pickles one year.

Britni: Oh, that's a good idea.

Brandy: And that we gifted to others.

Britni: Very cool.

Brandy: Another thing that I've made is homemade seed crackers.

Britni: Oh.

Brandy: So kind of a combination of like pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, flax seed with some herbs.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: And it's all kind of held together by Parmesan cheese. Yeah, and bake them in the oven. They're really, really tasty, but it's just a few simple ingredients. Those are a big hit too.

Britni: Oh, that sounds like a great idea.

Brandy: So just thinking outside the box a little bit of what that holiday tradition could look like for you. It doesn’t have to be cookies.

Avoid turning to sugar during stressful times

Well, next I want to talk a little bit about stress, because let's be honest, I think the holiday season is very stressful for a number of reasons. And I know many people may turn to sugar as a coping mechanism.

Britni: I think you're absolutely right.

Brandy: So it's a dangerous combination. Yeah. It's a lot of stress from the holiday season with, you know, we're shopping a lot, there's a lot of social gatherings, which can be stressful. And sugar is so accessible that it can just be a very automatic pattern to fall into. So ask yourself if you fall into that pattern. Do you ever use sugar as a way to de-stress or self-soothe when you're feeling overwhelmed? Or maybe you have this mindset that I've had a really busy, stressful day, I earned this treat.

Britni: Yes.

Brandy: I deserve this.

Britni: I hear that one a lot.

Brandy: It is very common and I think it's really important this time of year to have a few more tools in your toolbox and not necessarily have only that to fall back on to manage your stress because sugar is not helping anything. It's probably just making the stress feel more stressful.

Alternative stress management techniques

Britni: Yeah. You're so right. I mean, eating sugar is another stressor in the body. So thinking about what are some beneficial coping tools to manage stress outside of sugar: a short walk, taking some deep breaths. Bring a cup of your favorite tea, listening to music, listening to a podcast. You could call a friend or sit down with your partner and just have a conversation. This time of year, I mean, I've been making more hot tea in the evening. It's chilly out. It feels calming; tastes good.

Brandy: Doing something nice for yourself.

Britni: Yeah. Yeah. I love that as an option, because the reality is sugar is not a good stress reliever. It's not going to reduce any stress. It's going to give you that dopamine hit, which makes you feel good for a moment. But then the stress is back versus some of those other strategies we talked about are actually going to help to reduce the cortisol in your body, help you to relax and help you to kind of move on and handle your stress better.

Brandy: And sugar could potentially just kind of trigger that stress cycle again with the inflammation that it leads to.

Britni: Yeah, absolutely.

Balance the blood sugar to manage stress (& some snack ideas)

Brandy: So that might be a new thought for many that actually eating in a way that balances your blood sugar can be one of your tools to manage stress. And sometimes when we're in that stress mode or that fight or flight mode, some people actually lose their appetite or they may just like get so busy that they forget to eat. They're skipping meals. And I found that too, if I get really caught up in something, I know it's time to eat when my temper starts to get really short. Or I can't focus and it's just like, okay, I just need to take five and like figure out what's going on. When was the last time I ate? Usually it's been a minute.

Britni: Yeah. Too long.

Brandy: And it's amazing. As soon as I eat like a good meal or a balanced snack, how quickly I start to like come back into my body.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: It’s like it's night and day and I, it's really kind of amazing what a difference it can make just to get your blood sugar back on track.

Britni: Yeah. I mean, I think of like, if you listeners have kids, I think you can relate to this; your kid’s having a meltdown. You give them something to eat and magically the world is happy again.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: And we're the same as adults. We're just like internalizing our meltdown.

Brandy: Exactly.

Britni: But yeah, having a balanced meal or snack can just make the world a difference.

Brandy: It can really clear the air a little bit. Yeah. So I, encourage you the next time you are feeling stressed out, you're running around trying to finish those shopping trips, those end of year projects, plan some snacks for yourself, make sure you're eating consistently. If you have to set an alarm to kind of just have something to give you a clue that it might be time to have that snack. It can make a world of difference of how you navigate this season. So are there any snacks that you like to have just kind of like onboard? Like in the office or at home or even in the car, just to help yourself stay level throughout the day?

Britni: I mean, I almost always have individually wrapped meat sticks. Just because they're easy protein. Don't have to worry about refrigerating them. Right now, I'm liking pecans. Maybe I grab some random veggies and sometimes it's just like a few, some nuts and a meat stick, you know, if I have something more prepared, like sometimes I'll make the protein muffin recipe from our website.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: Or I mentioned the peanut butter balls earlier; things like that. Grabbing just a piece of deli meat; and in these situations, I'm not always going for what tastes the best. I'm going for what's going to keep my blood sugar stable. What's going to be easy for me to just grab and go?

Brandy: Yeah.

Britni: But always having a backup option, something available.

Brandy: Right. No, that's, I do a lot of the similar things. Meat stick, nuts, piece of fruit. Yep. Get it done.

Key supplement that can be helpful in times of stress: L-Theanine

Britni: Yep. Because balancing your blood sugar with real food, I mean, it is such a foundational piece for keeping stress at bay. That said, you know, I think that there is one key supplement that can be so helpful for people in times of stress, and that is called L-Theanine. And what I really like about it is it can be taken as needed.

Brandy: Right.

Britni: There are other supplements out there to help reduce stress and anxiety that really need to be taken more consistently to be effective. But the l-theanine, it's like you're having a super stressful day, you could take one or two, and for those that it really works for, within 20, 30 minutes, it's going to take that edge off.

Brandy: Yep.

Britni: It's going to quiet the brain, you're going to feel calmer, and then you can just move on with your day. So that is a great one to have in your back pocket.

Brandy: Yeah. I love L-Theanine for that same reason. It's kind of like as needed anytime. Doesn't cause you to feel like drowsy or like too relaxed. But it definitely, like you said, takes the edge off a little bit.

Britni: Yep. And if you have a busy brain at night, you can take it before bed, or in the morning anytime.

Brandy: And I was just going to say, that is one that I personally like to take if I were to wake up in the middle of the night. And I have racing thoughts that won't shut up.

Britni: Yeah. Yeah. That's the worst.

Prioritize sleep

Brandy: Yeah. So L-theanine, great for managing stress and anxiety. Great sleep support as well. And as long as we're talking about sleep, one other tip and it ties into stress is to prioritize your sleep always, but especially this time of year. Poor sleep is going to reduce your resiliency to stress and poor sleep or not getting enough sleep actually increases your cravings, increases sugar cravings.

Britni: It sure does.

Brandy: So that doesn't help the situation at all. So really just being mindful, trying to maintain a consistent bedtime routine. Aiming for that seven and a half to nine hours of sleep a night. And L-Theanine can help with that.

Recap

Britni: Yeah. Well, let's recap our message today for surviving the holiday treat season.

Brandy: So, okay, when we're going to a holiday gathering, number one rule, don't arrive overly hungry. So eating a balanced meal every three to four hours, just like any other day.

Britni: When you are filling up your plate at a gathering, start with the veggies. Think of that as half your plate. Then your protein and the smallest part of that plate is left for the starches or that sweet or other higher carb foods.

Brandy: Right. And if you do want to indulge in a special dessert or a treat, choose intentionally. You don't have to have every single thing that's offered to you. Pick the thing that you are going to enjoy the most and savor it, really enjoy it.

Britni: And as far as beverages go, you know, be mindful of that. Because sugar really sneaks in there. Maybe you try a new mocktail recipe this year.

Brandy: And avoid the mindless grazing, not just at the party, but in all the days in between. So set your home and your office environment up for success by trying to keep those treats out of sight, out of mind, and have boundaries around when you have those treats.

Britni: You know, for managing stress, try a new calming technique. Eat a balanced snack when you feel stress coming on. Take three deep breaths. It's so simple but it works wonders. Maybe you try L-theanine. Just having it on hand for when times get stressful.

Brandy: And don't forget to prioritize good sleep. It can truly make or break how you get through the holidays.

Britni: And this year our wish for you is to get through this holiday season feeling the joy of the season more than you're feeling the stress. Special treats can absolutely be part of that joy. Just not the whole show, right? Enjoy everything else about the holidays and remember, holidays are moments. It's not your whole life. So if you do overindulge, try not to fall in that guilt or shame cycle, just he holiday season does not define your health, your day-to-day habits do.

Brandy: Hmm. That's a good point to remember. And like you said, the holidays are really just a few days out of the year. They don't encompass a whole three months. There may be some great celebrations throughout, but business as usual in the days in between. And when you are at that special gathering, remember the strategies that we talked about today and think of all the other fun things about the holiday season. It isn't all just about the parties.

Britni: Yeah.

Brandy: You know, it's also about getting together with family, about decorating for the season, about cross country skiing for me, you know, sledding with your kids. You know, there's so much about the season that isn't centered around food and parties.

Britni: Yeah, it's so true and it's really good to remember all of that. And we want the holidays to be seen as occasions to enjoy, to connect, take some time to relax, share our favorite nourishing food. If you want some extra support during this holiday season, reach out to us, meet with a dietitian or nutritionist on staff, and maybe you consider giving that as a gift as well.

Schedule Nutrition Counseling

The last thing we are here to do is make you feel ashamed if you've been eating off track over the holidays. We are here to support you, help you in your health journey. And if you don't get around to making an appointment during the holiday season, that might be something to think about for January as well.

Brandy: I agree. Well, thanks so much for joining us today. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with a friend so we can continue to spread the real food message. And remember, real food is life changing. We thank you so much for listening today. Have a great day.

Britni: Thank you.