After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Healthy holiday eating tips from professional fitness model, Victoria Lindsay

Trying to stay trim over the Christmas holidays? Check out these healthy holiday eating tips from an award winning, pro fitness model.

WBFF professional fitness model, Victoria Lindsay shares her helpful holiday eating tips.

Christmas time really is the most wonderful time of the year, as the song says. There are lots of fun festivities and gatherings over the holiday season and most of the time that means party foods, big dinners with lots of gravy and of course sugary holiday treats. As we all know, it is so easy to over indulge during the holiday season.

So, who better to get healthy eating advice than from an award winning, disciplined fitness model, right? Victoria is a long time yogi, competitive highland and ballet dancer, spa therapist and 1st place winner of World Body Building Fitness Federation (WBFF). This girl has got it going on! She the ultimate go-getter, with big goals of being on the cover of a fitness magazine, starting a wellness center with a focus on nutrition and getting her yoga teachers certificate, just to name a few! Check out Victoria’s healthy holiday eating tips below for your way to a happy and healthy holiday season.

________________________________________________________

 During this busy season of gift shopping, socializing, entertaining and over-indulging I find the best place to start when attempting to eat well through the holidays is to first take a moment to re-focus. Ask yourself, “What does Christmas mean to me?” by taking the time to look at the big picture it gives us a chance to realize its not about what we are consuming but about family and quality time spent. By evaluating how important food is to you over the holidays you will have created a solid starting point.

The next thing to do is identify which “clean foods” you actually enjoy. Don’t force yourself to eat something you hate just because its good for you. There are many clean and healthy foods you will be able to cook festive meals with that you will love eating just as much as the stuffing drenched in gravy. Count on colour to get your appetite going, and instead of buying pre-made cook everything yourself to avoid extra hidden calories. Rack your brain while prepping your shopping list to come up with some healthy choices that get you salivating. And search for “cleaned up” various of your favourite go to’s.

Have a plan, if you know you’re heading to a cocktail party where there is sure to be countless indulgences from liquor to cheesecake, go prepared. Decide before you get there how many glasses of wine you will have and how many finger foods you will allow yourself to eat. Balance and moderation are some big keys in maintaining a lasting healthy lifestyle so instead of saying no to everything set limits for yourself and have a plan. A good starting point is to have half of the amount you would usually indulge in and hone this skill from there.

Focus on your behaviours, here are a few tips to try when focusing on healthy eating through the holidays. Firstly when filling your plate at dinner pile on your veggies first, then your proteins and lastly your starchy carbs. Eat them in that order as well and take a few short 2 minute breaks during the meal to ask yourself “Am I full?” When the answer is “yes” stop eating – no matter what is left on your plate. During the day of a party don’t skip meals and stay hydrated. Wear a body conscious dress or pants when socializing. And be sure to give yourself credit after implementing self-control through a calorie-laden mine field of a party.

Lastly, don’t stress! For two reasons, the first is that stress raises cortisol levels in the body which actually causes you to store fat! Secondly, you need to enjoy the process of healthy eating, if it is a positive force in your life you will continue the patterns if you turn it into a negative one it will be short lived and thus pointless.

Good Luck and Happy Holidays! – Victoria Lindsay

To follow Victoria’s healthy eating tips on a daily basis check out her Facebook page, Fitness Activist.

More in Food

19-year-old wins first place in prestiges Jeunes Chefs Rotisseurs competition

Amber Fleetwood took first place in the student category for the Jeunes Chefs Rotisseurs competition.

"Höhöhö" at Jack Poole Plaza

Teutonic treats @ Weihnachtsmarkt's new digs on Waterfront Road

A quirky approach to classic pizza and beer

Beer and pizza can summon reminiscences of summer evenings, sitting on a Vancouver patio. But now the leaves are turning red, pumpkins are orange, and the autumn breezes are putting a chill on...
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.