During the holidays it's easy to get caught up in the moment and decide to eat what's convenient, or whatever is right in front of us. Often times we use the excuse of "oh well, it's the holidays... I'll get back on track in January". But keep in mind, despite however we justify overeating or indulging, calories DO count on the holidays! Before you decide to go all out at meals or grab that extra piece of pie, remember how much hard work you have been putting into reaching your goals, and take into consideration how difficult it can be to get back on track after continuous indulgence.
Here are some of my top ways to help keep yourself accountable and on track over the holidays!
>>Most important: Always remember that YOU are in control of how you eat!
· Enjoy meals and time with family, but do not use the holidays as an excuse to go crazy and eat whatever you want!
· Make smart choices and remember to keep your focus on your goals. Small things such as choosing turkey breast instead of the dark meat, going light on the gravy, and simply adding in more vegetables are easy swaps to do.
· If you are having family come over, and you are planning on cooking at home, there is no excuse to fall completely off track. This gives you the opportunity to prepare meals that are both delicious and nutritious for you, and your family!
· If you are traveling to a family members house, offer to help out in the kitchen so that you can make adjustments to meals as needed (I.e. less oils in foods, baking instead of frying foods, or keeping the extra butter and sugar to a minimum).
· When in doubt, bring your own snacks that you know will fit your macros, keep you satisfied, and help beat cravings.
The first meal of the day can be one of the biggest influences in setting the tone of meals for the day. Starting off with a delicious and smart breakfast can be a great way to put you on the right track with food choices for the day, and gives you the opportunity to possibly preserve some of your macros for fitting in more "fun foods" during other meals.
However, as we all know, cooking for the whole family, and trying to please everyone can be stressful. In an attempt to ease the stress of cooking for a group, below are my two go to family breakfast favorites. They are super easy to make and guaranteed to leave my family full and happy for the morning!
1. Scrambled eggs with bacon
· Use carton egg whites and 2 or 3 whole eggs (depending on how many people you're feeding), as opposed to using only whole eggs in your scramble to have more protein with less fats.
· Center cut bacon is a great to use in place of regular bacon. HEB Center Cut bacon's macros are 3.5g fat and 6g protein for 2 slices!
· Add color and texture! Bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes can make a beautiful and delicious addition to regular scrambled eggs.
· If you choose to add cheese to your scramble, go for one made with 2% milk for a better ratio of macros.
2. Pancake breakfast
· Kodiak Power Cakes are one of my favorites for breakfast! They're delicious and super easy to make, perfect for when you are feeding the whole family. All you need to do is add water! You can cook these as pancakes, or just as easily, throw the batter in a waffle maker for tasty waffles!
· You can get creative with these and set out fresh fruit, such as strawberries and blueberries, for toppings.
· Have fun with toppings but always remember to pay attention to serving sizes and macros, and don't go overboard with them. (Pro tip: I like to top mine with extra creamy whipping cream! Generic brand spray can macros are 1gF, 1gC for 2tbsp).