It’s a huge challenge to eat healthy during the holidays. Overindulgence of rich and sugary foods goes hand-in-hand with the season of giving, making it difficult to find a balance between holiday traditions and healthy eating. After the celebrating is over, we look to the new year in hopes of regaining our equilibrium. It’s the perfect time to renew the commitment towards making healthier choices.

I invite you to join me in reclaiming healthy eating habits. I’m not talking about the dreaded “d” word – “dieting”. “Dieting” is filled with the negativity of depriving yourself of the foods your body has become addicted and emotionally attached to. (Learn more about your brain and food addiction.)

Eating healthy is not about punishing yourself for enjoying the wrong kinds of foods, it’s about learning to connect healthy food choices with meal enjoyment, feeling good and being healthy. (Read CNN’s article about training your brain to crave healthy food.) Food cravings are a learned behavior. In order to change this behavior, you need to begin creating new eating habits that reprogram your brain and body to crave the foods that support your health and vitality. (Learn more about linking the pleasure in food with healthy eating habits.)

I’m not going to lie, it takes commitment and patience to break the processed sugary high fat food addiction and reprogram your brain and taste buds to enjoy whole plant-based food in their more natural form. At first, your brain and body will rebel. For some, it’s easier to do the “cold turkey” detox, eliminating all unhealthy foods from day one. For others, they prefer to take it one step at a time, slowly limiting their intake of overly processed foods as they simultaneously incorporate more whole plant-based foods into their meals.

Whichever way you choose, take it one day at a time, renewing your commitment to eat healthier one meal at a time. Keep a diary of your progress in order to note the changes in how you feel in your body, energy level, and emotions. You will be amazed as you witness the changes first hand. Food will become satisfying on a whole new level as you begin to experience the healing shift in your body.

Don’t wait, make the commitment today!

—- TIPS —-

1. Check out our website. We not only have recipes for you to enjoy, a list of favorite cookbooks, but also great resources about nutrition.

2. Take part in PCRM’s free 21-day Vegan Kickstart Meal Plan. They provide daily meal plans the consist of delicious, easy recipes and even printable shopping lists.

3. Snack time is always the hardest obstacle to overcome as we reach for the quick and easy foods to ebb that in between meals hunger. Below is a list of easy snack foods to have on hand during your transition:

• Nuts and seeds
• Apple slices dipped in almond butter
• Homemade or minimally processed crackers dipped in hummus, bean dip or guacamole
• Sprinkle lemon or lime juice, dash of salt and pepper on an avocado
• Carrot, red bell pepper, jicama dipped in hummus, bean dip or guacamole
• Make some quick and easy energy bars to have on hand:
  • Raw chocolate Chia Energy Bars (Vegetarian Times)
  • Raw salted almond chocolate snack bars (Thefullhelping.com)
  • Basic Oatmeal Squares (Ohsheglows.com)

Wishing you a healthy and happy new year!