December is a magical month. Togetherness, giving, comforting lights and delicious food. Holidays bring traveling, cooler weather, less sunlight and more social obligations that might throw off your usual patterns.

The ability to be fully present & enjoy the holidays without guilt or stress is crucial for your mental state. By taking care of yourself throughout the busy season, you allow yourself to soak up the holiday cheer more than ever. Consider these gentle suggestions for self-care through the holidays: 

• Continue to move your body in ways you enjoy. Even if you exercise less during this busy time, try to carve out time 2-3 times a week to get your heart rate up. This steam you release during exercise helps to reduce stress levels. Walk, run, bike, play a sport.. we are all better versions of ourselves when we are less stressed!
• If you are traveling, plan on bringing some nutritious snacks with you for the trip. Great road trip snacks include: trail mix, popcorn, fruits, veggies, whole grain crackers, dry roasted edamame or smoothies.
• Set your boundaries so that you do not overbook yourself.
• If you plan on whipping up some baked goods, consider some of these modifications to increase the nutrition of them. Most baked goods are mainly composed of fat and sugar. But you can still get a delicious product while decreasing some of that added sugar & saturated fat.
  • Swap butter for heart-healthy oil or avocado: trade out some of the butter in a recipe for an oil like canola oil. You can replace all of the butter in a 1:1 ratio but you may sacrifice some of the texture depending on what you are making. You can also use a 1:1 ratio if replacing butter with avocado. Avocados are packed with nutrients and heart-healthy fats!
  • Reduce added sugar: simply cut sugar content by 25% if you want to just reduce the sugar. Or use a natural sugar-free alternative such as baking Stevia or Monk fruit. Read the back of the package so that you use the proper amount. 
  • Replace oil with applesauce to reduce total fat and keep the moisture of the baked good. You can use unsweetened applesauce as a 1:1 swap. (Ex: 1 cup of vegetable oil can be replaced with 1 cup of applesauce)
  • Mix up your flours: instead of using just all-purpose flour, try using whole wheat flour, oat flour or almond flour to boost the fiber, protein and nutrition of the product. You can even use 1 part all purpose flour and 1 part whole wheat flour for a less noticeable difference. 
  • Incorporate some produce: add some shredded or puréed apple, banana, pumpkin or carrots to a recipe to bring in more nutrients and moisture. This allows you to decrease total fat (oil/butter) as well. 
  • Decrease full fat dairy: full fat dairy contains large amounts of saturated fat. Try using reduced fat versions or swap out with a plant-based alternative such as unsweetened oat milk or soy milk.
  • Eggs: eggs serve as binders of ingredients. For a cholesterol-free alternative, try doing a chia egg or flax egg. Mix ingredients together then let it rest for 5 min to thicken before adding in. These recipes replace 1 egg:
    • Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 tbsp water
    • Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 2.5 tbsp water

Remember to be kind with yourself this season. The holidays are busy. Enjoy your traditions, families and understand that nutritious eating, enjoyable movement and decreasing overall stress are all forms of self-care. Enjoy holiday fun foods and cozy nights without guilt. But try to avoid the dangerous “all or nothing” mentality around food choices and exercise. Be intentional and present about where you put your energy this season.

Happy holidays!

Rachael DeCaria, RDN

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