Enjoy Balanced Holiday Sweetness: Tips for Maintaining Steady Energy Through the Season
By Ashley Sponsky, MS, RD, LDN
The holiday season can be difficult to navigate with cooking, baking, traveling, and shopping occurring on a never-ending loop. Keeping a balanced diet during this season can feel overwhelming and almost impossible with packed schedules and an array of festive foods and events. From cookies at family gatherings to decadent holiday drinks at company parties, sweet foods are a natural and enjoyable part of many celebrations.
However, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the season while still feeling your best — especially if you’re someone who is mindful of blood sugar, managing diabetes, or simply wanting to stay energized throughout the holidays.
Finding the balance between treating yourself and staying healthy can be difficult, but with some easy tips in your toolbox, you can savor the holidays while sticking to your goals. Here are some tips to help you navigate your sugar intake while also enjoying the foods you love and feeling your absolute best!
Don’t Deprive Yourself
The goal of a healthy lifestyle is always balance and not restriction, so it is important to remember to not deprive yourself of your favorite holiday treats. Practice mindful eating – take time to savor your favorite foods, and be conscious of portion sizes. Mindful eating will allow you to really enjoy your favorite holiday treats without mindlessly snacking away until you feel uncomfortable.
Set your heart on specific indulgences that are really worth it to you! Do you love your grandmother’s famous apple pie? Your co-worker’s homemade sugar cookies? Then, take the time to sit and enjoy them without distraction or overconsumption.
By being mindful of your sugar intake and incorporating planned nutrient-dense items alongside your favorite treats, you can feel confident about your choices during the holiday season.
Opt for Natural Sugars in Recipes
When baking or creating recipes, opt for natural sweeteners instead of refined white sugar. Alternatives may include 100% pure maple syrup, honey, agave, stevia, or frozen fruit. These are more nutrient-dense options that can add a different and wonderful flavor profile to your favorite recipes.
Incorporating natural sweeteners may also help support more stable energy for those who are sensitive to blood sugar shifts. You can even experiment with incorporating fruits like mashed bananas, dates, or applesauce into your desserts for extra added benefits and sweetness!
Pair Nutrient-Dense Foods With Your Treats
Pairing nutrient-dense foods with holiday treats is a great way to keep your diet balanced and help support steadier energy levels. This will also leave you feeling more satisfied and energized during such a busy time of the year.
For example, pair a holiday cookie with some almonds or Greek yogurt to make a complete snack full of protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Or, try pairing a hot chocolate with some fresh fruit for a snack full of antioxidants and fiber. Combining your favorite treats with traditional nutrient-dense foods will make your indulgences feel more balanced.
Bring a New Festive Food to Holiday Parties and Potlucks
If your schedule is packed with holiday parties, potlucks, and events throughout December, chances are there will be plenty of sweet treats readily available. If you’re responsible for bringing an appetizer or dessert to an event, why not think more outside the box than baking cookies?
Think of delicious lower-sugar snacks like spiced nuts, gourmet olives, deviled eggs, charcuterie boards, or a fresh fruit or vegetable tray with homemade dip. If you plan on bringing dessert, try baking a crustless pumpkin pie or make dark chocolate bark topped with chopped almonds and dried fruit.
Don’t Ditch Exercise and Hydration
During the holiday season, it can be easy to put your exercise routine on the back burner. However, adding in 20–30 minutes of movement per day can help you feel more energized, reduce stress, and support more stable cravings throughout the day. Walking, running, lifting weights, at-home Pilates, or yoga workouts are all great ways to stay in the habit of exercising during the busy holiday season.
Staying hydrated is also important to prioritize when the weather gets colder and you get busier. Sometimes cravings can be related to dehydration, so make sure you are drinking about half of your current body weight in ounces to help keep your body feeling balanced.
Overall, the holiday season is about enjoying time with loved ones and savoring the nostalgic foods that come with it. By being mindful of your sugar intake and incorporating planned nutrient-dense items alongside your favorite treats, you can feel confident about your choices during the holiday season.
Moderation and balance are always key, and with these simple strategies you can enjoy the festive flavors of the season while prioritizing your health. Happy holidays!
About the author. Ashley Sponsky is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and the owner of Fueled and Fit LLC, a private practice in Cary, N.C. Ashley has been a registered dietitian since 2010 and has worked with a variety of clients in outpatient, gym, and corporate wellness settings. Her flexible food philosophy allows clients to reach their goals and gain a healthier relationship with food without any fads or deprivation involved. In addition to individualized counseling, Ashley offers small group classes, lunch n’ learns, grocery store tours, and meal planning. In her spare time, Ashley enjoys spending time with her husband, her two sons, and three fur-babies.
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