It’s the holiday season, a time full of Christmas lights, holiday parties and plenty of delicious food.
The end of the year creeps up quickly, and it may feel like there’s no time to manage your health on top of the events to organize, presents to buy and family to see. Maybe you’re one of the 64% of surveyed Americans who plan to delay their health aspirations until the start of the new year.
But eating healthy is not just possible, it’s preferred, experts told USA TODAY. Here’s what else to keep in mind this year.
How to eat healthy during the holidays
Health is about much more than the food you put in your mouth, but healthy habits can certainly start at mealtime. If you want to stay healthy this holiday season but don’t know where to start, try out these tips from registered dietitians.
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1. Release the “all or nothing” mindset
Some tend toward the extremes when it comes to holiday eating. On one end is a free-for-all mindset throughout the end of the year and getting back on track in January. On the other end, some employ a strict diet and avoid partaking in holiday fun altogether.
This “all or nothing” mindset ultimately sets you up for failure, says Kara Collier, a registered dietitian and the co-founder and VP of Health at wellness-tech startup Nutrisense.
Instead, you can frame it with the 80-20 rule, she recommends. This means choosing nutrient-rich foods 80% of the time but…
