10 Simple Holiday Nutrition Tips to Stay on Track With Your Health Goals

The holidays are a busy, exciting time, but they can also make it harder to stick to your usual habits. Whether your goal is better health, weight loss, managing a chronic condition, or maintaining your routine, these simple holiday nutrition tips can help you stay on track while still enjoying the season.

1. Manage Your Expectations

Instead of aiming for weight loss during the holidays, consider focusing on weight maintenance. Food is part of holiday joy and connection. Using the 80/20 rule helps: eat in a way that supports your goals most of the time and enjoy seasonal treats guilt free the rest of the time.

2. Plan Ahead

Look at your weekly social calendar and note times, locations, and the type of meal offered. Planning ahead reduces surprises and helps you make intentional choices instead of reactive ones.

3. Choose Treats You Truly Love

Save room for the treats that matter most. Enjoy the foods that feel special this time of year and skip the “everyday” options that you can get anytime.

4. Don’t Arrive Hungry

A small, healthy snack before a party can make a big difference. Try veggies with hummus, yogurt with fruit, or a handful of nuts. You’ll feel more in control and less likely to overeat simply because you’re starving.

5. Improve Your Food Environment

Set yourself up for success. Keep easy, ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables on hand. Use smaller plates to encourage portion control. If you’re hosting, send leftovers home with guests so tempting foods don’t sit around for days.

6. Prioritize Easy Meal Prep

Busy weeks call for simple prep. Make a big batch of soup, chili, or stew and store portions in the freezer for quick meals. This reduces the temptation to order takeout when life gets hectic.

7. Be Mindful of Liquid Calories

Seasonal drinks add up fast. Hot chocolate, festive lattes, cocktails, wine, beer, and eggnog can be high in calories without providing fullness. Choose sparkling water with lime, offer to be the designated driver, or alternate alcohol with water.

8. Use the Healthy Plate Method

Fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with starchy foods. This approach helps you enjoy all your favourites in balanced portions. If dessert is your priority, go lighter on stuffing or potatoes.

9. Keep Moving

Stay active when you can. Schedule workouts, enjoy winter activities like skating or snowshoeing, or simply go for a walk after meals. Movement helps regulate stress, support digestion, improve sleep, and stabilize blood sugars.

10. Stay Positive and Enjoy the Season

Focus on connection, memories, and time with people you love. Food is just one part of the holidays. Let go of guilt, enjoy your traditions, and look forward to setting new goals in the new year.

Looking for Support With Your Holiday Eating Strategy?

If you want help staying consistent through the holidays, or you’re ready to start a sustainable weight loss journey in the new year, join my free Weight Loss Support Group. You’ll get tips, recipes, and realistic nutrition strategies designed for real life in Calgary.
www.facebook.com/groups/calgaryweightlosssupportgroup

For focused, customized advice and support, apply to work with me 1:1! I'm currently accepting new clients and would love to work with you!
[email protected]
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👉 Join the Weight Loss Support Group here:
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I was honoured to be included on The Best Calgary!
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As a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist, my job is to help people find their healthiest place with food and body that is balanced, enjoyable and sustainable. My clients enjoy feeling their best, without diet culture BS. A possible side effect of changing habits is weight loss - many clients desire weight loss and achieve that outcome, but it's not our focus. Health first, weight loss second.

Now accepting virtual clients on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. I can't wait to help you with your goals for 2022! - DietitianChels

Check out the link below:
https://www.thebestcalgary.com/best-nutritionists-calgary/#7_Chelsey_Love_Nutrition

I was honored to be included in the "Best Weight Loss Dietitians in Canada" by the Dietitian Directory!

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Hello health seeker!

I have returned from maternity leave and am accepting new clients!

Who would benefit from my signature nutrition programs?
-people who are tired of dieting and need help finding a long term solution
-people who are confused about how to eat
-people who would benefit from lowering their cholesterol, blood sugars, or blood pressure
-people who "know" what to eat, but have trouble with the follow-through
-people who really don't know where to start
-people who want to pass along healthy nutrition habits to their kids
-people who need a coach to keep them accountable


I am accepting new virtual clients. We can talk on the phone, use Skype or a secure online meeting platform called doxy.me. Clients are enjoying the convenience of receiving counselling without extra traffic, parking, and waiting rooms. My hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays 8:30-4:30 and Saturdays 8:30-12:30. I also see clients in person at SouthCentre Health and Wellness on Mondays from 4pm to 7pm. 

We start by doing an initial nutrition assessment. This appointment is 50 minutes long, and prior to this I get you to fill out a questionnaire. We go over your medical history, goals, activity levels, current eating habits, likes and dislikes, and more. The follow up appointments are 30 minutes long, and this is where the coaching happens. I provide answers to your questions, nutrition education, and accountability so that your chances of long-term success are increased. 

Send me an email at [email protected] - and we'll go from there. I can't wait to help you reach your goals. - @DietitianChels

The Love Family is expecting a "Little Love" mid November, 2017! We are over the moon excited to meet this little girl. Chelsey will be on maternity leave until further notice. Thank you for your support! - The Loves

Thank you to the sweet and super talented Amber https://www.aephoto.ca/ for the maternity photos! Highly recommended. 

If you are working on your health goals, your fitness, managing a chronic disease, or trying to lose or maintain your weight, the holidays can definitely make it challenging to stick to your routine. Here are my 10 tips to help you stay on track!

1. Manage your own expectations. Focus on maintaining your weight over the Holidays, instead of trying to lose. Life includes holidays and delicious food – it’s human to enjoy foods for more than just their nutritional value. Aim for the 80/20 Rule: 80% of the time, eat healthy, in a way that supports your goals. 20% of the time, enjoy treats guilt-free.
2. Make a plan. Write out your social calendar. Include the time the event starts, and the type of meal (buffet vs appetizers vs plated meal). This way you know what is coming up each week.
3. Enjoy the treats that you absolutely LOVE. Have treats that are ONLY available this time of year. Skip the treats that you can have any time of year.  Before enjoying a food – rate it on a scale of 1-10. Only have the 10 out of 10 treats.
4. Remember the tip, “don’t shop on an empty stomach, because you’ll buy more?”  Using the same logic: Don’t socialize on an empty stomach. You will likely have less control over your food choices, and will probably eat more. Have a healthy snack before you head to the party. Some ideas: veggies and hummus, a piece of fruit, or a small handful of nuts.
5. Improve your food environment. Try to have conversations away from the food, and face away from the food. Eat off of smaller plates. If you are the host/hostess: send leftovers home with your guests.
6. Meal Prep! So important any time of year, but especially when you’re busy. Make a big pot of soup, chili, or stew – portion it out, and keep in the freezer for when you need a quick meal.
7. Be mindful of the liquid calories. Hot chocolate, fancy lattes, rum & egg nog, martinis, beer and wine pack in a lot of calories without providing satiety. You can drink a 300 calorie rum & egg nog, and still feel hungry, vs 300 calories of food can be quite filling. Offer to be the DD, have sparkling water with a lime wedge, and if anything:  in between every alcoholic drink, have a  glass of water or sparkling water.
8. For the big dinners. Skip the bun with butter, unless that is something you really look forward to. Remember “The Healthy Plate.” Place vegetables & salads on your plate first, and make them ½ of your plate. Place protein (turkey, ham)  on second, and make it ¼ of your plate.  The last ¼ of the plate is for starchy foods (potatoes, stuffing, etc). This way, you can have everything you want – but in a portion controlled, balanced way. Depending on what you are really looking forward to - choose to compromise a little. If you LOVE the homemade dessert, go lighter on the stuffing - or vice versa.
9. Get active! Keep up your regular fitness routine. Get outside, play in the snow, snowshoe, go skating, hike, ski, dance, or simply bundle up and go for a walk after dinner. Exercise will help decrease stress, help you sleep better, help with digestion after a meal, and help regulate blood sugars.
10. Stay positive! Remember the reason for the season. Focus on the people, the conversation, the family/friends, and the magic of the holidays. Make it less about food and more about spending quality time with people you love. Let go of guilt. Enjoy the holidays, and make some new health goals for the upcoming year.

BONUS TIP:
Seek help with your nutrition and weight loss goals. A Registered Dietitian is a regulated health care professional who has at least a 4 year Bachelors of Science degree in Nutritional Sciences, and a 1 year practical internship program. RDs must prove their continuing education each year, which ensures we keep up to date with the latest nutritional science.  An RD can help you with weight management, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, emotional eating, type 2 diabetes, blood pressure management,  prenatal nutrition, meal planning, and helping you increase your energy and feel your best. BONUS: your employer health benefits or health spending accounts may cover the services from a dietitian!
Follow Chelsey on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChelseyLoveNutrition
Book a clarity call or an appointment: Email [email protected] and we will discuss what is best for you!