Ask the Dietitian: Strategies for Eating Around the Holidays

The holidays are a blast. Friends, family, and foods you only see once a year. That combination makes it easy to derail routines and pile on extra calories. Small gains during the season add up over time, and many people never lose that holiday weight. The good news is you do not have to avoid every treat to protect your progress. With a few simple strategies you can enjoy the season without turning one day into a hollow week.

Why this matters

Research shows the average American gains about one pound between mid November and mid January. That may not sound like a lot, but most people do not lose it afterwards. About 14 percent of people gain five pounds or more. The real culprit is not a single meal. It is grazing all day, frequent liquid calories, social snacking, and an overall lack of plan that turns a celebration into several days of overeating.

Shift your mindset

Move away from an all or nothing mentality. Aim for “better than usual” rather than perfection. Success looks like preventing a slippery slope where one indulgence leads to three days of overeating. Set expectations ahead of time and celebrate the wins along the way.

Do not let your holiday turn into a hollow week.

Pregame strategies: start the day on your terms

What you do before the meal sets the tone for the whole day. Try these five simple pregame moves.

• Get some activity in. A workout or a 20 minute walk in the morning boosts mood, improves blood sugar handling, and reduces the chance you will go off the rails.
• Do not arrive hungry. Have a small protein rich snack an hour or two before the event. Greek yogurt, a protein shake, hard boiled eggs, or a handful of nuts reduce impulsive grazing.
• Hydrate. Drink 12 to 16 ounces of water before you arrive. Hydration can reduce mistaken hunger and provides a little volume so you feel less compelled to snack constantly.
• Decide your plate strategy before you walk in. Choose in advance what is worth your calories. If you are saving calories for a slice of pie, plan to compromise on appetizers or alcohol.
• Bring a reliable dish. Bringing a big salad with protein or a tray of roasted vegetables gives you a fallback option that supports your plan if everything else is calorie dense.

Tactical strategies during the meal

Appetizers and grazing

Survey the spread and pick one or two items you genuinely want. Put them on a small plate and walk away. Avoid hovering near the appetizer table and grazing without thinking. Preportioning reduces mindless bites.

Build the plate

Use a simple plate rule: half non starchy vegetables, one quarter lean protein, one quarter for enjoyable carbs. Loading up on vegetables gives you fiber and volume, preventing a plate that is just carbs after carbs. You can still enjoy stuffing or mashed potatoes, but limit those to the one quarter of the plate.

Dessert

Pick the dessert you most want and have a full serving. Do not sample a taste of everything. If you truly want variety, use a three bite rule for each sample and then stop. In practice, one dessert you love is less likely to lead to regret than multiple tiny tastes that become a free for all.

One dessert you love, not three desserts you love.

Liquid calories and alcohol

Remember that drinks count. Eggnog, specialty coffees, cocktails, and sugary lattes can each be 250 to 500 calories. Use the one to one rule: one alcoholic drink then a glass of water. That pacing slows intake, reduces total drinks, and helps with hydration. Decide your alcohol budget ahead of time. That could be zero, one, two, or a set number of days per week.

Handling family and social pressure

Food pushers are real. If a host or relative keeps insisting you have more, be prepared with polite responses like:

• Everything was delicious. I am satisfied for now.
• I am pacing myself, but thank you.
• I will take some home. This keeps people happy and gives you control over portions later.

Have the phrase ready so you can stick to your plan without creating drama.

Postmeal damage control

How you finish the day matters. If possible, go for a 10 to 20 minute walk to help digestion, improve blood sugar response, and reduce sluggishness. Skip taking home extras you do not want. Most importantly, return to your normal eating routine at the next meal. Skipping breakfast usually backfires and leads to stronger hunger and overeating later.

Managing the whole holiday season

Think weekly instead of treating every feast as a restart. Choose one to three non negotiables each week. Examples include:

• Three to four structured workouts per week or a step goal such as 7,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
• Protein at every meal to improve satiety and maintain muscle mass.
• Limit alcohol to set days so drinking does not become nightly.

Focus on weight maintenance. If you have been losing weight consistently, holding steady through the holidays is a win. The aim is to avoid the annual accumulation of pounds.

Quick takeaways

• Move in the morning on event days to set the tone.
• Do not show up hungry. Eat a small protein snack and hydrate.
• Pre plan your indulgences and decide what is truly worth it.
• When building your plate, make half vegetables, one quarter protein, and one quarter treats.
• Choose one dessert you love or use a strict sample rule.
• Limit and pace alcohol by alternating drinks with water.
• Walk after the meal and return to normal eating the next day.
• Set weekly non negotiables to protect routines and avoid the holiday free for all.

The holidays should be enjoyed. With some simple planning and a few habits, you can savor the moments that matter without the regret that often follows. Pick a few strategies that fit your life and treat the season as a time to celebrate intentionally rather than a free for all.