The holiday season often brings indulgent meals and an unhealthy portion of guilt over breaking dietary goals. In this episode of What the Health, we discuss finding a balance between enjoying holiday foods and maintaining a healthy diet with nutrition specialist Dr. Whitney Linsenmeyer from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Learn practical strategies for navigating holiday parties, hosting festive meals, and avoiding extreme diet swings. Tune in for expert advice on enjoying the holidays without sacrificing your health.

00:00 Introduction to Holiday Eating Challenges

01:41 Meet Dr. Whitney Linsenmeyer

02:03 Understanding Holiday Eating Pressures

06:26 Strategies for Healthy Holiday Eating

08:28 Navigating Family and Social Pressures

11:26 Exercise and Physical Activity Tips

12:42 Hosting Healthy Holiday Gatherings

14:49 Alcohol Consumption During the Holidays

15:28 Post-Holiday Resolutions and Mindset

23:02 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Connect with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

• Website: eatrightpro. com
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Connect with Dr. Whitney Linsenmyer:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-linsenmeyer-11189925/ 

The holiday season comes with a lot of everything, but especially food. Of course, all this meal-inspired merriment not only brings a lot of calories with it, the endless flood of dishes, desserts, and snacks also serves up an unhealthy portion of guilt over fears that diets have been busted and unwanted pounds added.

It's all a deflating, social, and gastronomical combination for many. Fortunately, there may be a happy medium when it comes to holiday eating that doesn't involve denial, guilt, or gluttony. In fact, our next guest is a nutrition specialist who is ready to serve up a menu of healthy holiday eating approaches designed to lighten the calorie and guilt load for everyone while still keeping the holidays a tasty season.

Listen up.

All right, as we say in every episode, this is the best part of our podcast. It's when we get to talk to someone at length about the issue at hand. And today, our podcast is about healthy eating at the holidays. What brings it about? Why is it difficult? What are the pressures there?

And we have a wonderful guest to talk about this. And that is Dr. Whitney Linsenmeyer, who works with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. And, Whitney is here to help us understand what has happened in the past, why it's such a challenge, and maybe what we can do about it.

Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here.

All right. Let's start off with the basics. Is it hard to eat well at the holidays? Is it just too many meals?

It can certainly feel like a challenge, especially if we think about the holidays as starting at Thanksgiving and continuing all the way through the New Year. We're looking at six weeks plus of different types of parties and family gatherings, where there's just different foods than we're used to—oftentimes indulgent and celebratory foods.

So that can feel overwhelming, just given the amount of opportunities that people have and are faced with when thinking about following these healthy goals year-round. It feels more challenging just because of this season that happens to be pretty food-centric.

Are we getting better at it? Is it more challenging, or has it always just been challenging? Is it the menus we're facing?

It seems like people are starting to be much more aware of and conscious that others might be following different types of diets. We hear more and more people who are following a gluten-free diet or a vegetarian diet. We're conscious of different allergens that people might need to be sensitive to.

We're in an era of recognizing that people are eating in different ways. Respecting that is the general trend in society that I'm seeing. In general, I think that's a good thing. We're just respecting people where they're coming from, their dietary needs, and if it's within our control—like if we're the ones hosting the party—we're making attempts to have something that they can enjoy at the holiday gathering.

And is it because it's such an extended period too? The holidays start at Thanksgiving, or maybe before. Is that the other factor? I know that people know more about healthy eating. Is it the fact that it's such a long period that it's almost inescapable to get away from the flood of food and wine and whatever?

Yes, our holiday season is long—about six weeks, depending on what you celebrate. We talk about our food environment. And this applies to year-round, not just at the holidays. But it's all the food that we're surrounded by in our homes, but also in our places of work.

In our neighborhoods, what restaurants or grocery store options are there? And in general, we know that a lot of people live in what we consider to be poor food environments—there's very little access to healthy, nutritious, and fresh foods.

If we take that same way of thinking, especially during the holidays, the food environment, because it's punctuated by so many different celebratory events that oftentimes center around food, might look pretty different compared to the rest of the year.

Do you think we associate holidays with heavy eating? I guess it's a reflection of the past. Has that just carried on?

Decades or centuries ago, we would save delicacies for the holidays—things we didn’t have year-round. Then, we’d have them maybe one or two times per year around the holidays. These foods were richer, indulgent, or higher in calories.

Where we tend to feel guilty about that and about appreciating those foods, I think it’s a time to give ourselves some grace, step back, and really release ourselves from feelings of guilt. Instead, we can appreciate the amazing symbolism that specific foods have in our family traditions, our culture, and our religions.

That brings up an interesting point. We’re more aware of nutrition than ever, but we’re also faced with an onrush of foods lacking in nutrition. It’s why we see a rise in obesity, diabetes, and all sorts of things.

And then we have the holidays where we’re faced with this onrush of food. But people know they’re going into the holidays, and then you have the whole psychological impact of guilt and eating. So, how do we face that?

Right. If you’re having eggnog in July, that’s curious. But during the holidays, we can do a mental reframe, right? Instead of feeling like we have to really equip ourselves with strategies to avoid overeating, yes, we can talk about those things to feel prepared to be successful.

But also, wow, how special it is that these foods have so much meaning in our lives that we can enjoy them in our family traditions, our cultures, or our religious traditions.

Okay, so we get that the foods are going to come in. We know that we’re probably faced with the option of fewer nutritious foods. Given all of this, are there things people should think about as they approach the holidays? Not necessarily guilt, but strategies—should they be thinking about anything like that when they deal with food and liquor issues?

I tend to think about different strategies or mindsets for different settings. So if you’re going to a holiday party, hosting in your home, or going to a restaurant, different strategies can work in each of those settings.

If you’d like, we can talk through each of those different potential settings.

Sure, let’s start with going to a holiday party at somebody’s home.

One strategy can be to bring a healthy dish to share. A lot of times we think there will only be heavy foods, lots of sweets, and indulgent things. But if you bring a healthy vegetable dish, for example, you ensure there’s something nutritious for you and others to enjoy.

Another idea is to pretend you’re one of those expert taste testers on shows like Iron Chef. They taste everything, but they don’t eat the whole portion—they take a few bites, really enjoy it, and move on to the next thing. We can channel that energy at holiday parties.

Lastly, if you feel there’s too much food to try at the party and you’re overwhelmed by leftovers, ask if you can take some home. It’s a nice gesture that honors the person who prepared the dish and takes pressure off you to eat everything in one sitting.

Let’s say you go to your parents’ or grandparents’ house. Do you think there’s still guilt over not eating enough? Your grandmother, mother, or sister is piling food on your plate, and you didn’t try the Mississippi mud pie or something like that. Is that still a factor?

I think it is. One of the first patients I ever worked with came in feeling stressed out before the holidays. She was worried about her in-laws putting pressure on her to pile food on her plate and clean her plate. She was also trying to follow healthy eating goals, so it felt like a pressure cooker.

A way to combat that is to ask to take food to go. For example, say, “This is so good, but I just can’t finish it now. Can I take a piece of pie for tomorrow?” Depending on your family dynamic, you might also be honest and say, “I’m trying not to overeat tonight, and I’m feeling pretty full.”

The past guilt and teasing might lead people to push back, and that’s one reason families fight at the holidays! On a broader note, this is a country obsessed with losing weight but also gaining weight simultaneously.

The tension of the holidays, combined with eating habits, might push people to say, “Forget it, I’ll have six pounds of stuffing and gravy.” Does that happen?

It can happen. Some people may want to avoid conflict altogether and decide it’s easier to give in. But we have to remember it’s your body, and you’ll feel better making choices aligned with your goals.

What are some mistakes people make when approaching six weeks of holiday meals? Are things like fasting before a big meal or exercising more realistic strategies?

The biggest mistake I see is people restricting their eating all day—or even days before—because they expect to overeat at a party. This leads to extreme hunger, and they end up eating until they’re uncomfortably full, almost like binge eating.

Instead, have smaller, sensible meals throughout the day so you’re not ravenous when you arrive.

What about exercise? Do people try to exercise their way out of holiday eating?

Sometimes, but it’s not a bad thing. It’s good to integrate physical activity into the holidays. For example, if you’re hosting, you can include a walk, a dance party, or even games like charades or football to get everyone moving.

Got it. Do you remember Twister?

Yes, I have it at home! We played it this summer.

So, are you playing Twister at Thanksgiving?

I think I will—it’s a great idea!

If you’re hosting a dinner or party, especially with a cultural background that emphasizes food, what’s a responsible way to make it festive but still manageable?

One strategy is to have Tupperware ready for guests to take leftovers home. This reduces the pressure to overeat and gives guests the option to enjoy dishes later.

Another idea is to create a show-stopping dish that’s inconspicuously healthy. For example, a roasted acorn squash stuffed with wild rice pilaf. It’s nutrient-dense and dazzling enough to stand out on the table.

It’s funny that you mention the need for it to not look overtly healthy. It seems like there’s a stigma against serving healthy food at holiday dinners.

That’s true. The idea of “healthy-ish” has gained traction—it’s mostly healthy, but deliciousness comes first. Featuring vegetables, whole grains, or beans as stars of the dish can balance the meal without compromising on flavor.

Where does alcohol fit into this equation?

Alcohol is another area where people tend to overdo it. The key is pacing yourself—no more than one drink per hour—and staying hydrated between drinks.

The holidays often end with New Year’s resolutions. Many involve weight loss or better eating habits. Is this a productive follow-up to the holiday season?

There’s nothing wrong with setting resolutions or wanting to improve your diet. However, drastic swings in eating patterns—like indulging in December and restricting in January—can be harmful to physical and mental health.

How should people approach the post-holiday season to avoid unhealthy cycles?

I’ve seen people start setting lifestyle goals before the holiday season. It’s a proactive way to maintain balance through the holidays without feeling the need to “make up” for overindulgence in January.

Winter weather also plays a role, making outdoor activity less appealing. Does that contribute to holiday weight gain?

Yes, people tend to be less active in winter. Even those who enjoy indoor activities like gym workouts might avoid them due to heightened awareness of colds, flu, and other illnesses.

Given your work with students, do you notice differences in how age groups approach nutrition? Are younger people more prone to unhealthy habits around the holidays?

I don’t think holiday habits differ significantly across age groups, but younger people are more influenced by fad diets they see on social media. Fad diets aren’t new—they’ve existed for over a century—but they’re more accessible now through smartphones.

When you say fad diets, do you mean weight-loss diets or just poor eating habits?

I mean extreme weight-loss diets, like combining bizarre food items in hopes of a “magical” result.

We recently covered a story about people using tapeworm eggs for weight loss. It’s hard to believe anyone would try that.

That’s heartbreaking. The desperation to lose weight can lead people to dangerous methods.

What’s the biggest misconception about holiday eating?

A major misconception is that eating well during the holidays requires drastically altering recipes—like cutting out fat, sugar, or salt. Instead, make foods in their traditional way but serve smaller portions.

For example, enjoy rich, buttery mashed potatoes, but savor a moderate serving. It’s about appreciating the food, not denying yourself.

So the takeaway is to avoid guilt and focus on a balanced approach to holiday eating?

Exactly. Release yourself from guilt and appreciate the symbolism of food in your traditions and culture.

Are you hosting a holiday dinner this year?

Yes! We’re very traditional with Thanksgiving—turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, the works.

And that’s a good thing! Thanks for sharing these insights, Whitney.

Thanks for having me. Happy holidays and happy eating!

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