Top view of hands of family members holding plates with homemade food and desserts while serving festive table before Christmas dinner. Credit: shironosov via IStock

Moderation is the key to sustaining healthy eating habits through the holiday season and into the new year, according to Brittany Allison, an assistant professor of food science at California State University, Northridge. 

Allison, who teaches in the College of Health and Human Development, said people should forgive themselves for any ‘indulgences’ that took place during the past couple of months, noting that the holidays provide an important opportunity for families to hunker down, follow traditions, and indulge.

“I always tell people to enjoy the holidays for what they are,” Allison said. “Don’t feel like you have to exclude yourself because of the looming emotional harm that follows it.”

“I’ve always loved making cookies with my mom around Christmas time,” she said. “But, there are instances where a day of cookies becomes a week, and so on.” It is acceptable to partake in special events by eating, drinking and being merry to a certain extent, she said, but one big Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t need to become an entire December of overeating. 

Continuing to indulge just because something is within reach is something she advocated being wary of. She noted the important thing is to quickly get back on track, and that depending on each individual’s health goals, “that can look different for everyone.”

Allison said healthy living habits allow a day or two of indulgence as long as one keeps focused on their long-term health goals. 

Eating freely during a holiday can contribute to a sense of gratitude for people, especially those who have lost loved ones or experiencing hardships around the close of the year and beginning of the next, she said. Allison insinuated that balanced meals throughout the day are essential; additionally, consuming more protein at breakfast and less at dinner has the potential to improve metabolic health overall. 

 However, as a collective, society tends to view the entire holiday season as a time to forget about everything until the new year begins; through a false sense of an impending fresh start, Allison said.

“I respect that people are looking for that opportunity,” she said. “But with all things considered, your life, job and cravings are still going to be the same on Jan 1 as they were on Dec 31.

“Life does not drastically change in those 24 hours,” she continued. “Overly restrictive diet plans and resolutions for the new year usually result in groups of people falling off the wagon.” And those that “fall off the wagon,” Allison said, often lead to empty fitness centers by the time February rolls around and individuals abandoning whatever goals they swore to uphold in the New Year.

Brittany Allison, Healthy Eating Habits, Holidays, Sustainability