In this episode, I’m sharing some tips for making good food choices when eating out or traveling, especially during the holiday season.
Life will never be totally predictable and it’s easy to get discouraged or thrown off when you’re out of your routine and normal environment. Learning to successfully navigate this will help you stay consistent with your healthy choices and avoid feeling deprived.
The key takeaway is not to expect yourself to make progress while your circumstances aren’t ideal. It’s ok to maintain or be in a holding pattern sometimes, and by making “good enough” choices, you can avoid going completely off the rails.
Doors are now open for Body Liberation Together, my 12-week mindset and metabolism intensive, designed to help you shake off the holiday season funk, reset your intentions, and re-establish healthy, sustainable habits so you can start the new year feeling like your best self.
If you decide you’re ready for next-level support to follow through with your goals, I hope you’ll join me in Body Liberation Together. This program only comes around once a year and we start the second week of January, 2024. There are also only 8 spots available, and registration closes on Jan. 5, 2023, so if you already know you need something like this, apply now to join us.
Interested in working with Jeannie one on one? Schedule a 30-minute Coffee Talk here.
Interested in working with Jeannie? Schedule a 30-minute Coffee Talk here.
Connect with me on Instagram @joliverwellness and check out the options for my more affordable self-study programs here: https://www.joliverwellness.com/diy-programs
Music credit: Funk’d Up by Reaktor Productions
A Podcast Launch Bestie production
Hey there, welcome back to
the nutrition edit podcast.
2
:I'm your host, Jeannie Oliver,
functional nutrition and wellness coach.
3
:And today I'm going to keep it pretty
short because I have a little head
4
:cold sinus thing going on, which
you can probably hear in my voice.
5
:I'm very nasal.
6
:Um, and I just wanted to
give you a few quick tips.
7
:It's the holiday season,
happy holidays to you.
8
:And I wanted to just
share some tools with you.
9
:for eating out, , you know, making
good enough choices when you are
10
:either on the road traveling,
eating out, eating at someone else's
11
:home, staying with someone else.
12
:All of these things that a lot of
us are doing over the holidays,
13
:but that you may be doing at home.
14
:all the other times of the year as well.
15
:So, let's just jump into this.
16
:Look, first of all, I want you to remember
that you do not have to get fully off
17
:track when you're traveling or eating out.
18
:This does not mean that everything has to
go out the window and that you lose all
19
:the progress that you've made, um, that
the wheels are going to fall off the bus.
20
:That really is not the case.
21
:There is such a thing as Just making good
enough choices, not perfect choices, which
22
:you've heard me tell you before, if you're
a listener, that perfect doesn't exist.
23
:It is not a thing.
24
:And striving for it is really just
a recipe for misery and frustration.
25
:, so don't expect yourself to
make progress necessarily.
26
:If you're on the road or if you're
staying in someone else's home, , you
27
:know, eating at restaurants, etc.
28
:Those are times when you may not have
control over your circumstances, over all
29
:of your food choices, your environment's
going to be different, right?
30
:So I just want to encourage you that it is
okay to just maintain or be in a holding
31
:pattern during these times because your
circumstances are not going to be ideal.
32
:You're not going to have your normal
routine in place, um, you know, your own
33
:kitchen, all of those sorts of things.
34
:So here are my top recommendations for
just making those good enough choices.
35
:When you're out of your routine so
that you can kind of stay Close enough
36
:to being on track that when you do
get back into your routine at home
37
:That it's not an uphill battle for you
that it's easier to just ease back in
38
:So first of all, the most important
thing is Do your best to prioritize
39
:sleep and drinking plenty of water.
40
:These are going to drive
everything else downstream.
41
:You know, if I've talked about before,
if you're tired, you're actually going
42
:to crave more empty calorie, like
high starch, high sugar foods, or, you
43
:know, junky foods, processed foods.
44
:And you're actually less insulin
sensitive when you're not rested.
45
:So that can be problematic as well.
46
:, if you're not hydrated enough,
You're not drinking enough water.
47
:That will absolutely cause sugar cravings
and or salty, crunchy food cravings.
48
:Um, it can cause just
sort of ongoing hunger.
49
:I know that's a big, big truth
for me on days when I haven't
50
:had enough water to drink.
51
:I'll think, man, why am I so hungry?
52
:I feel like a bottomless pit today.
53
:What's the deal?
54
:I've had plenty to eat and I'll realize
that I haven't had enough water to
55
:drink and I'm actually quite thirsty.
56
:So.
57
:Your brain can kind of mix
up those signals for you.
58
:So make sure you're staying hydrated.
59
:And my general rule of thumb for that
one, you know, I had a whole episode, I
60
:think it was last season, that I talked
about just water and water drinking.
61
:Maybe it was this season.
62
:I don't know.
63
:Um, but basically the goal is to
shoot for drinking about half your
64
:body weight in ounces of water.
65
:So, for a 150 pound individual, that
would be roughly 75 ounces of water a day.
66
:Um, or, you know, 10 cups ish.
67
:So, you can do that
calculation for yourself.
68
:It's also good to think about it as
half your weight, half your ideal
69
:body weight in ounces of water.
70
:Um, but that could be, you
know, a little too much for some
71
:people and not enough for others.
72
:So you'll have to gauge that, but that's
a good general rule of thumb to shoot for.
73
:So sleep and water, that's my number
one thing because I feel like those are
74
:going to make everything else easier.
75
:The second tip I have for you, or
recommendation rather, is to pack
76
:healthy snacks with you just to
avoid what I call food emergencies.
77
:So for example, I always pack good
quality, low sugar, high protein protein
78
:bars, uh, nuts, seeds, organic jerky,
things like that because I Don't ever
79
:assume that I will be able to find
good healthy options in an airport,
80
:for example, or on a road trip.
81
:And maybe not even if
I'm at someone's home.
82
:They may not have healthy options.
83
:There may not be a grocery store nearby.
84
:So I pack a lot of that stuff with me.
85
:Sometimes I don't need it.
86
:But, hey, if you do, you've got
it on hand, and then you can
87
:avoid, you know, a food emergency.
88
:Which kind of leads into or ties in
together with one of my other tips, which
89
:is don't let yourself get too hungry.
90
:Um, a perfect example of this, I
had a client tell me about when
91
:she went away for a couple days.
92
:Um, and she was over a holiday when she
got there, literally nothing was open
93
:and she hadn't packed any food with her.
94
:The only place that was open was a pizza
place and this is someone that doesn't
95
:tolerate gluten or dairy very well.
96
:But that was literally
her only option for food.
97
:It was either that or go hungry
and she arrived in this place.
98
:already really, really hungry.
99
:So she ended up having the pizza
and of course she felt just
100
:rotten for the next couple days.
101
:So if she had had something with her,
which now she does, she packs things
102
:with her whenever she travels, um, she
could have prevented that whole thing
103
:and, you know, really enjoyed her time
off instead of feeling physically crappy.
104
:So, to dive a little
bit deeper in the don't.
105
:Let yourself get too hungry point
any time that you let yourself
106
:get really ravenously hungry Your
brain is going to drive you towards
107
:what we call high value foods.
108
:Those foods are gonna be those kind of
high glycemic empty calorie, Starchy
109
:carb high sugar type foods the types
of foods that don't really serve us.
110
:Well You know, once you get too
hungry, it's kind of like all bets are
111
:off and your brains just like yeah,
give me whatever whatever I can get.
112
:, you're much less likely to make
choices that are going to serve you
113
:well, that are going to be good,
healthy, nutrient dense foods.
114
:So not letting yourself get too hungry,
, is a real, really important thing to.
115
:Ensure and prioritize.
116
:Okay.
117
:So moving on to my tip number three,
and this one is to know your non
118
:negotiables and set clear boundaries.
119
:So a good example of this would be, let's
say you are gluten or dairy intolerant,
120
:just like our previous example.
121
:Um, I am actually gluten
and dairy intolerant.
122
:So for me, those are
non negotiable things.
123
:And I don't compromise on those because
if I do, I feel physically not good.
124
:I get really bad brain fog, and the trade
off is just not worth the, um, you know,
125
:If you do the cost benefit analysis there,
it's just not worth the risk for me.
126
:And most of the people that I know are
aware of this, but if you are someone who
127
:is maybe Just starting on your wellness
journey or you've just discovered a
128
:food intolerance or maybe you just
know that something doesn't serve you
129
:well Be it a specific type of food like
gluten or dairy or maybe you're not
130
:drinking alcohol anymore Maybe it's sugar
that you're avoiding whatever it is.
131
:Just know you're Line, right?
132
:Know those non negotiables.
133
:Like this is something that I'm
not willing to compromise and then
134
:really be true to yourself and draw
healthy boundaries around that.
135
:One way you can do this is
by giving people a heads up.
136
:So if you're, for example, going to
a family or friend's home for the
137
:holidays before you go, you can say,
hey, I just want to let you know I'm
138
:not drinking anymore, and I don't
want this to be You know, a topic
139
:of discussion or debate or anything.
140
:I've got my reasons around it.
141
:You can phrase that however
it feels right for you.
142
:But just give them a heads up and
just say, look, don't be offended
143
:if I don't eat this or drink that.
144
:It's just something that I
need to do for myself to take
145
:care of my health right now.
146
:Um, and then you can always
offer to bring something.
147
:So that's what I usually do.
148
:I'll say, can I make a dish?
149
:Can I help cook something?
150
:Can I purchase some other ingredients so
that you don't have to go to extra trouble
151
:just because I have a food restriction?
152
:, so that's just one example.
153
:I know I've talked about that in a
previous episode, I believe, but I
154
:just wanted to reiterate that because
I think that a lot of people are
155
:afraid to be high maintenance or
precious or, you know, that person
156
:that can eat this or can't eat that.
157
:And honestly, let me tell you, you
have the right to protect your own
158
:health and to take good care of
your body and really your choices.
159
:That you make to protect your
body or no one else's business.
160
:So it's actually quite gracious for you
to say, Hey, this is what's going on.
161
:And if I can help make it
easier for you, fabulous.
162
:But beyond that, you don't
have to make any apologies.
163
:You know, if someone has celiac disease,
like no one's going to question that.
164
:Well, you may not have celiac, but
you may have other reasons that are
165
:just as important for your health,
you know, to avoid that thing.
166
:So, um.
167
:You could be gracious about
it, but don't apologize.
168
:Don't compromise on those things.
169
:Taking good care of yourself and
your health is of utmost importance.
170
:And if someone's offended by that
or has issues with that, that's
171
:usually about them, not about you.
172
:So don't take it on.
173
:And this could take some practice.
174
:This isn't easy for all of us to do,
especially if we have , people pleasing
175
:tendencies, and so, you know, it may be
something that feels quite uncomfortable
176
:for you at first, but it does get
easier with practice and with time.
177
:Okay, so number four, I recommend
opting always for veggies and protein,
178
:like try to focus on veggies and
protein as the main part of your
179
:meal and start with those items.
180
:So eat some veggies, eat some
protein before you go and eat any
181
:of the starchy carbs like grains or
pasta or bread or anything sugary,
182
:any kind of refined carbohydrate.
183
:And the reason I recommend
this is because number one.
184
:You're going to ensure that you get
more actual nutrients or nutritious food
185
:because that's what you're eating first.
186
:And second, the fiber and the protein
in those foods is going to help
187
:buffer any effect on your blood sugar
that those carbohydrate foods that
188
:you're eating later will have, okay?
189
:So, that would help prevent that kind
of blood sugar spike and dip afterwards.
190
:And, We want to keep your
blood sugar regulated.
191
:I mean, this is so crucial.
192
:I've talked about this a lot before.
193
:It's something that I am always,
always focusing on in my practice
194
:with my clients, is helping
them regulate blood sugar.
195
:Because it's so important for your health
in so many ways, especially for us women.
196
:Um, you know, for future brain
health, but also in the short term
197
:for, you know, healthy metabolism.
198
:If your blood sugar is all over
the map, it can lead to insulin
199
:resistance, which leads to, you know,
fat gain and can eventually lead to
200
:type two diabetes and all these awful
things that we really want to avoid.
201
:Um, so keeping that blood sugar kind of,
you know, regulated, nice and somewhat
202
:even keel is really, really the goal here.
203
:And by eating your veggies and
protein first at mealtimes, you
204
:will help keep that more regulated.
205
:, it's also going to help with appetite
because fiber and protein are filling.
206
:They stimulate production of that leptin.
207
:Hormone or neurotransmitter that tells
your brain, Hey, I'm full and satiated.
208
:I don't need to keep eating.
209
:And so you're less likely to overeat
or, you know, eat past the point
210
:when you're actually full or crave
a lot of sweets after your meal.
211
:It can just help keep all
those things sort of in check.
212
:Um, and again, you know, makes
it easier to make healthy
213
:choices that serve you well.
214
:Um, the other thing that this can kind of
indirectly benefit is your mood and your.
215
:Stress reactivity.
216
:If your blood sugar is a little more
regulated, you will be less stress
217
:reactive, less anxious, less moody.
218
:So, you know, a lot of us have
stressful situations when it comes
219
:to family or if you're traveling
for work and I don't think any of us
220
:needs to be more easily stressed out.
221
:So remember that food can really
help with stress management too.
222
:And finally, Eating this way eating
your more nutritious food first
223
:keeping your blood sugar regulated.
224
:This also really supports healthy
immune system function And you know,
225
:everybody's sick right now, even me.
226
:I'm fighting this sinus situation
Lots of funk is going around All kinds
227
:of things and when you're traveling
you're more susceptible to it.
228
:We're on airplanes.
229
:You're maybe jet lagged Maybe
you're around small children.
230
:I mean, there's so many
factors that come into play.
231
:So You know, eating to support
your immune system is always really
232
:helpful and important as well.
233
:Okay, next, this is number five.
234
:Eat enough of the right foods, okay?
235
:So, this sort of ties into our previous
tip, but The point that I want to make
236
:here is if you're eating enough of the
right foods, meaning nutrient dense foods,
237
:high fiber foods, high protein foods,
foods containing healthy fats versus those
238
:sort of empty calorie, more processed
foods, or maybe more refined carbs, things
239
:like that, you're going to feel better.
240
:You're going to stay fuller longer, and
you're just going to be giving your body
241
:what it needs to function more optimally.
242
:And You know, as I always talk
about really, I am not about like,
243
:Hey, let's eat less exercise more.
244
:I don't subscribe to that at all.
245
:I don't encourage, Hey, we've all
got to get skinny or be thinner.
246
:Like that is just not my MO.
247
:What I am about is helping
you to eat in a way that.
248
:fuels your body, that gives your body
what it needs, that nourishes you from
249
:a cellular level on up, that, nourishes
your brain and your nervous system, , your
250
:muscles, all of these things, right?
251
:So focusing on that nutrient dense
food and eating enough of it to the
252
:point where you are nice and full
and satiated versus trying to portion
253
:control and eat less, like, Eat enough
of the right foods, and it's going to,
254
:all the other problems end up working
themselves out, most of the time.
255
:Now, yes, you can overeat healthy,
nutrient dense foods, for sure.
256
:But I find that, you know, controlling
portions, things like that, that usually
257
:comes Later down the road, I wouldn't
worry about that at this point in time.
258
:If you're just sort of getting
your wellness journey either
259
:started up or dialed in, don't
even worry about that right now.
260
:Just focus on eating enough of
the right foods, because that will
261
:really solve a lot of other problems.
262
:You can always fine tune
later down the road.
263
:Okay, next, number six.
264
:So, strategic indulgence.
265
:Indulgence is something that I
talk about a lot and no other
266
:time is it more important, I
think, than when you are either on
267
:vacation or enjoying the holidays.
268
:And what I mean by strategic
indulgence is being really choosy
269
:and discriminating with what you
indulge in and how you indulge.
270
:So instead of just going hogwild and
eating like All the things and then
271
:finding yourself on January 1st going,
oh my god, I feel rotten and I've
272
:gained 10 pounds By practicing strategic
indulgence, you're going to pick and
273
:choose the things that are really
worthwhile for you, that are really
274
:special, that you probably aren't going
to eat at any other time of the year.
275
:Or, you know, maybe you're traveling
somewhere special and there's a wonderful
276
:local cuisine or delicacy or treat that
you won't get at home or elsewhere.
277
:Those are the to really go,
okay, this is really worth it.
278
:And then, let's say, for
example, It's a pecan pie.
279
:I use this example
because I love pecan pie.
280
:So let's say it's a pecan pie at Christmas
time and you absolutely love pecan pie.
281
:Well, maybe there's some other sweets
too, but you don't love them as much.
282
:Skip all the other stuff.
283
:Don't waste your time with the stuff
that's not really really special for
284
:you and instead Have that piece of
pecan pie, enjoy it, savor it, be
285
:really mindful when you're eating
it, savor every bite, and don't allow
286
:yourself to have any guilt around it.
287
:Just really experience it and enjoy it.
288
:Indulge, right?
289
:And I think you'll find that
it's much more satisfying.
290
:You, are less likely to overeat
it because you are being aware and
291
:mindful while you're enjoying it
versus just kind of shoveling something
292
:in mindlessly and not really paying
attention and then finding like, Oh God,
293
:I went way overboard with this and I
didn't even really taste or enjoy it.
294
:So be it, you know, something that's
like a special dessert or maybe a
295
:savory food that you really love.
296
:Maybe it's a beautiful cracked
cocktail or glass of wine,
297
:something along those lines.
298
:Hold out for the good stuff.
299
:Pick the things that are really truly
special to you and then don't waste
300
:your time with the other things.
301
:Okay?
302
:I've given the example before of
like the Costco cookies, right?
303
:Like when we were all working In
offices or going into the office,
304
:which many of you still may be.
305
:There's always like cookies and
crap and just stuff that's out,
306
:you know, for the public to be
taken or eaten in these spaces.
307
:And it's usually not very good.
308
:It's usually like a box of cookies
from Safeway or Costco or something.
309
:Honestly, just don't waste
your time on that crap.
310
:It's not that special you
can have it at any point.
311
:Of time in time.
312
:, I think it can be really useful to
just bring out your inner food snob.
313
:Nobody else has to know about it.
314
:You're not going to do this outwardly,
but just think to yourself, No,
315
:that's that doesn't meet my standards
or that's not super special.
316
:I'm going to wait for the good stuff
and then pass by the things that are.
317
:Less special for you.
318
:Okay, so that's what I mean by strategic
indulgence Another way that you can
319
:practice that is with your timing of food.
320
:So For example on a day when you do maybe
some heavier weightlifting or more intense
321
:workout That's a great day to say hey if
there's something that's you know, more
322
:of a starchy carb or sugary food that's
probably the best time to have it because
323
:your muscles are going to be primed and
ready to uptake and use that glucose
324
:versus Storing that It's fat, okay?
325
:Yeah, I often will do a leg workout
or a good quicker total body workout
326
:on holidays, because then my body is
just going to better utilize whatever
327
:I eat at that feast meal, and I
don't have to worry about it so much.
328
:So that's another way that you
can practice strategic indulgence.
329
:All right, so lastly, my last
tip, this is number seven.
330
:This is what I call the one out of
three rule, and I use this when I'm
331
:traveling on vacation and I have
a lot of clients who've used this
332
:and it works really well for them.
333
:It's a pretty simple,
easy thing to remember.
334
:So one out of three.
335
:What I mean by that is if you think of the
three as starchy carbs, sugar, or dessert.
336
:and alcohol.
337
:Those are the three.
338
:At each meal, if you choose only to
have one of the three, instead of just
339
:every meal having all of the above,
going hog wild, and again, coming home
340
:feeling like crap, having put weight on.
341
:When you choose just one of the
three, it makes you a little more
342
:mindful about, hey, what do I want
the most out of these three things?
343
:What is going to be the most satisfying?
344
:And, it's, it prevents
you from feeling deprived.
345
:Like you're, you know, not able to
have any of those, and now you can't
346
:really experience, I mean, let's
say you're going to Italy, you want
347
:to eat pasta, or you want to have,
you know, really special wine, and
348
:enjoy a wonderful Italian dessert.
349
:Well, great, you can.
350
:You're just not going to do more
than one of those at each meal.
351
:So by doing that it really does prevent
you from feeling deprived or missing
352
:out, but you're still getting to
enjoy things without going overboard
353
:or you know treating your body like,
like a garbage dump where you're
354
:just having all the things all the
time and then paying the price later.
355
:So, That's what I mean by
the one out of three rule.
356
:It also typically, it's
nice to mix it up, right?
357
:So hopefully you're not having an
alcoholic drink at every single meal
358
:every day while on vacation because
that's really going to be hard on your
359
:body, um, especially for us women.
360
:Detoxifying alcohol is it's really causing
your body to do a lot of heavy lifting
361
:and it will prioritize detoxification
of alcohol before everything else.
362
:So, you know, any toxic exposures, excess
hormones, anything like that, that your
363
:body needs to eliminate, it's going to
put that on the back burner and prioritize
364
:getting rid of the alcohol first.
365
:So, , I always encourage people to
drink less alcohol less frequently,
366
:but when you are going to have
it, you know, choose it carefully.
367
:Make sure it's really worthwhile, be well
hydrated before and after, try not to
368
:drink it on an empty stomach, you know,
let it be buffered by food, and then
369
:your body can handle it a lot better.
370
:So, yeah, so that's what I
mean by, you know, mix it up.
371
:Don't do necessarily like, well, some
people maybe not drink and they're
372
:like, well, okay, I'm going to have
dessert twice a day instead of having
373
:any starchy carbs or any alcohol with my
meals because that's what I would love.
374
:But some people don't like sweets.
375
:So they're like, huh,
no, I might have some.
376
:You know, bread after I have my
veggies and protein with this meal,
377
:um, so just do what works best for
you and makes the most sense for you.
378
:But I do find that that one out of
three rule is a really helpful thing
379
:to kind of Just help you stay moderate
when you're traveling or eating out.
380
:So hopefully you find that helpful.
381
:Anyway, these are just six of some of
my tips and some, you know, strategies
382
:that you can use or put to use when
you're on the road during the holidays.
383
:You could also go back to episode 12
in season 1 where I talk specifically
384
:about strategies For navigating the
holidays, and I get a little more in
385
:depth on certain other things that I did
not cover here today in that episode.
386
:All right, so that's what
I have for you today.
387
:Hopefully you found
those seven tips helpful.
388
:Just a quick recap.
389
:First, prioritize your sleep and
hydration or your water drinking.
390
:Second, pack healthy snacks just in case
so that you can avoid food emergencies.
391
:Three, know your non negotiables
and set clear healthy boundaries.
392
:Four, opt for veggies and protein
or focus on veggies and protein at
393
:mealtime and eat those before any
starchy or refined carbohydrates.
394
:Five, eat enough of the right foods, so
don't skimp on your nutritious foods.
395
:Six, practice strategic
indulgence, and then lastly,
396
:follow that one out of three rule.
397
:I hope you guys found this helpful.
398
:I'd love to hear feedback from you.
399
:What worked for you?
400
:Uh, what questions do you have?
401
:You can DM me on Instagram
at joliverwellness.
402
:com or in the comments
on this podcast page.
403
:Either way, I'd love to hear from you
and yeah, I think I'll see you one more
404
:time before the Christmas holiday, but
whatever you're up to this holiday season,
405
:I wish you safe travels and just a really
happy, healthy, and joy filled holiday
406
:season, and I'll see you again next week.
407
:Thanks for joining me.