3 Ways to Stop Emotional Eating This Holiday Season

Emotional eating is totally a thing, and if there’s ever a time that it’s more likely to happen, it’s the holidays. What exactly is emotional eating? For starters, emotional eating is a response to both bad and good emotions—although emotional eating due to positive emotions usually gets a lot less attention. Some of us are self-proclaimed stress-eaters. I’m thinking about the college students cramming for exams and downing bags of chips and M&Ms while they’re studying. Power-eating popcorn during a suspenseful movie also comes to mind. RELATED: Healthy Eating 101: How to Eat Healthy in College Others of us chomp our way through disappointment, sadness and loneliness. You pick up the pint of ice cream when you find out your end-of-year bonus isn’t coming through, or comfort yourself with a pound of holiday fudge because you can’t get home for Christmas. The holidays are filled with mixed emotions and it is usually a stressful time. Couple that with celebrating the togetherness of the holidays with a stocked fridge and pantry. And when I say stocked, I don’t mean with healthy foods. I mean packed full of all the I eat this once-a-year-foods—things like peppermint bark, snowflake cookies and eggnog.  Emotional eating has nothing to do with hunger, nutrition or wellness goals. Food is not made up of only vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber. It’s also made up of stuff that connects us to our feelings. So, how do you stop emotional eating? And how can you make it through the emotional roller coaster of the holiday season without throwing your goals out the (perfectly trimmed) window? Great question.  RELATED: Enroll in Keri Glassman’s 4-Part Emotional Eating Course Here are my top tips for how to stop emotional eating. Keri Glassman’s Top Tips to Stop Emotional Eating Reframe your intentions Yes, you could choose to go through the holidays focusing on the guilt for not remembering to buy your colleague a gift, sleep-deprived because you’ve been burning the candle at both ends to get everything done, stressed out because the holiday cards haven’t arrived … and so on and so on. You could also choose to get through the holidays mindfully. Making the choice to focus on celebrating the company you keep, being in the moment and giving attention to your holiday traditions. This may help keep from getting too stressed, overwhelmed, and reaching for the soothing arms of that hot cocoa with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. For when you do feel stressed (hey, it happens!), try keeping a warm mug of tea on hand. It will serve many purposes: The heat and smell will soothe and relax you and your feelings, it will hydrate you, and it will serve as a reminder to keep your wellness a priority. Know that YOU are in control You do not have to be a victim of the stress and general emotional energy-suck of the holidays. Instead, try this: Decide in advance what you’re going to bring to Aunt Edna’s holiday potluck (rosemary spiced nuts, anyone?), so you know you have a healthy snack on hand. Have a satisfying and healthy dinner before you head out to the office party so you don’t wind up making puff pastries your meal. Or, go ahead and make the decision to stick to seltzer with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds instead of champagne. Keeping a food journal is also helpful. For one, it will help you see that the “binge” you thought you had was actually just a little too much brie, but it will also help you eat less. Knowing you will have to write it down will make you think twice before going for seconds of the pie. Bottom line: Feeling empowered helps you control your emotions and your eating. Triple D yourself Finally, use the three Ds when you’re trying to stop an emotional eating situation. Delay. Slow yourself down. Don’t head straight for the food. Start with a glass of water, tea or seltzer and make a conscious decision to slow your intake. Nobody is going to rip your plate out from under you and the appetizer tray will still be there in 15 minutes. Slow down, friend. Distract. You should be catching up with friends and family. That is what the holiday season is really about. Distract yourself by talking to your loved ones, checking out the ornaments on the tree, or lending a hand to the host. Disarm. Don’t keep unwanted food in the house. Don’t hover over the buffet table. Out of sight, out of mind. On a similar note, don’t bring sweets and treats home. Keep your home focused on health and wellness by stocking up on winter produce such as grapefruit, clementines, pomegranate and root veggies. RELATED: How to Add Winter Produce to Your Diet (and Why You Should)

Zoodles for Dinner: 3 Quick, Delicious Ways to Serve Zucchini Noodles

By Tatiana Boncompagni, NLC I love it when the food industry picks up on a healthy trend and figures out a way to make nutritious eating easier for us all. Case in point: Many mainstream grocery stories are now selling pre-spiralized zucchini noodles, AKA zoodles. Not having to spiralize noodles myself has shredded oodles of time off how long I spend in the kitchen prepping. And since zoodles cook lightening fast, they are a great option for busy weeknights (even if you do have to spiralize them on your own!). RELATED: Is the Spiralizer the Healthy Gadget Your Kitchen Needs? Why eat zoodles instead of noodles, though? I love zucchini because it contains plenty of fiber, folate, and vitamin C (FYI, it’s at its peak during summer!). Plus, it’s so versatile that I call it the “tofu of the vegetable garden”—because it soaks up the flavor of whatever you use to season it. That’s reason enough to get creative. While eating zucchini noodles with marinara or pesto is delicious, I like to use the noodles to recreate my favorite Thai, Mexican, and Indian dishes. Think of zoodles as your base. You can cook them in a sauté pan, in boiling water for one minute, or roast them in the oven on a baking sheet (if that’s easier), and then go from there, mixing and matching your favorite spices, herbs, protein sources, and healthy fats. In case you prefer to follow a recipe, I’m sharing three of my current go-tos. Zucchini Noodles for Dinner, 3 Ways Thai Zucchini Noodles with Pan-Roasted Halibut Servings: 1 Prep Time: 15–20 minutes INGREDIENTS coconut oil 1 package zucchini noodles (or 3-4 zucchini, spiralized) coconut aminos or Bragg’s liquid aminos 1 tbsp red curry paste 2 cloves garlic, chopped 2-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and grated 4 scallions, sliced ½ cup cilantro, washed and chopped 6 oz wild halibut salt ¼ tsp red pepper flakes DIRECTIONS Lightly coat a medium pan with coconut oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add zucchini noodles, curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Cook until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with aminos. Heat another pan lightly coated with coconut oil over medium-high heat. Place fish skin-side down. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Turn broiler on in oven. Cook in pan for 7 minutes and then transfer to oven. Broil for 5 minutes or until fish is cooked through. (Cook time will depend on thickness of fish). Add scallions and cilantro to noodles and stir to combine. Transfer to a plate, top with fish, and serve. Chicken Curry Zoodles Servings: 1 Prep time: 20–25 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp coconut oil ½ white onion, chopped 1 tbsp madras curry powder 1 small chicken breast ¼ cup coconut milk 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped ½ cup frozen peas or spinach 1 package zucchini noodles (or 3-4 zucchini, spiralized) salt ¼ cup garbanzo beans (optional) ¼ cup Greek yogurt 1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice salt ¼ cup cilantro, chopped DIRECTIONS In a large pan over medium-low heat, add oil and onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Add curry powder and stir. Add chicken breast and cook for 5 minutes; flip and cook another 5 minutes on the other side (cook time will depend on thickness of chicken). Add coconut milk, ginger, spinach, or peas and cook for 2 minutes. Add noodles and garbanzo beans (if adding) and cook until tender, about 4 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and shred with knife and fork. Return chicken to pan, add yogurt and lemon, stir and season to taste with salt. Transfer to plate and garnish with cilantro. Deconstructed Taco Zoodles Servings: 1 Prep Time: 15–20 minutes INGREDIENTS grapeseed oil ½ onion, chopped 1 tsp chipotle or ancho chili powder ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed ¼ cup frozen organic corn 2 tbsp pickled jalapeno peppers, chopped 1 package zucchini noodles (or 3-4 zucchini, spiralized) salt ½ avocado, sliced 1 large tomato, chopped ¼ cup cilantro, chopped hot sauce (optional) DIRECTIONS In a large pan over medium-low heat, add oil and onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 7-10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add chipotle or chili powder, beans, corn, jalapenos, and zucchini. Continue to  cook until noodles are tender, about 4-5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and transfer to plate. Top with avocado, tomato, and cilantro. Optional: Add seared steak, chicken, fish, or tofu for more protein. About Tatiana: Tatiana Boncompagni is a Nutritious Life Certified holistic health coach, mom of three, and the co-creator of The Model Trainer Method, a nutrition and fitness guide. Her writing about food, nutrition, fitness, and health has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Marie Claire, SELF and Town & Country, among other publications. She is based in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Follow Tatiana on Instagram for motivation and healthy recipes at @tatiboncompagni.

3 Easy Healthy Dinners When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking

You’ve got your ezekial toast and natural pb down pat for a healthy breakfast. You pack a greek yogurt with blueberries and granola as a healthy snack. You even stay on track and grab a spinach salad with grilled chicken from your favorite lunch spot near the office. Maybe in the afternoon you graze a little bit, or even cave and grab something from the vending machine, but come dinner? That’s a whole different story, and it’s where your healthy diet completely unravels. Whether you’re late getting home, in a rush, or even just tired and not wanting to stop for groceries, there are so many reasons why it often seems like a better idea to leave the cookbook on the shelf. Trust me, I’ve been there! But there are lots of easy healthy dinners you can whip together so you can avoid another night with a visit from the pizza delivery guy. 3 Easy Healthy Dinners When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking They aren’t gourmet by any means. But what they are is fast – without being fast food. They’re also super practical, easy, and require minimal cooking. Every meal doesn’t NEED to be gourmet. Try to use your freezer and your pantry for things other than ice cream and cereal bars! You’re sick of chinese food takeout anyway, right? Create new takes on these easy healthy dinners and you can stay on your healthy track EVERY night!

How to Eat Healthy 5 Times a Day

How to eat healthy once a day is a no brainer. Find something green in a 24 hour period, and eat it. That’s it. Surely, you can do that, right? Well, not so fast. I’ve seen lots of clients that live on an un-healthy diet of carbs and white-ish things, with a side of burger. So telling them to simply “Just eat more vegetables!” (even once a day!) is pretty much a recipe for them never getting anywhere as far as a healthy diet goes. I mean, we’ve been told since we were kids to eat more vegetables. It just doesn’t work that easily. Most veggie-challenged people envision trying to choke down plain lettuce or a side of over-steamed broccoli, and they immediately race to a bowl spaghetti instead. But today is going to be different. I’m not going to tell you to “just eat more veggies”. I’m going to show you how to eat healthy veggies at every meal, and you might find it’s actually easy (and not as boring) as you once thought. If you need some nudging, research from the University of Liverpool in England reports eating 7 servings of fruits and veggies daily significantly lowers mortality, and death from cancer, heart disease and stroke. So, literally, veggies can save your life. My challenge to you is, no matter how many or few healthy foods you are already eating, to get one type of veggie in at every meal. Here’s how to eat healthy 5 times a day: Healthy Breakfast: 2 eggs with a giant handful of spinach, peppers and onions. Add a half of a small avocado instead of your usual cheese (avocado is more fat than fruit, but c’mon, we’re trying to improve your health, might as well swap cheese for a better fat!) and serve it up with a cup of berries. 2 servings Morning healthy snack: 12 almonds and zucchini chips (I know, you’re busy and don’t have time for a feast, but you need a little pick-me-up before lunchtime). 1 serving Healthy Lunch: Spinach salad loaded up with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, grilled salmon and a splash of lemon juice and olive oil. 2 – 3 servings Afternoon healthy snack: Tabbouleh prepared with parsley, tomatoes, onions, bulgur, olive oil and tablespoon of feta cheese on top (yes, you don’t have to make it yourself! You can buy it ready to go from the deli counter at the market). 1 serving Healthy Dinner: Roasted chicken with a small sweet potato, roasted cauliflower and a green salad. (If you love cauliflower, check out my recipe for Flank Steak and Mashed Cauliflower from Chef’d!) Need dessert? Me too. Grilled peaches with a spoonful of ricotta and a drizzle of honey. 3 servings See?! Not so difficult (nor boring), right? Use this sample day as the foundation for your week. Change up the produce for added variety. Swap peaches for pineapple, almonds for cashews, Tabbouleh for hummus and crudites, spinach salad for arugula, roasted chicken for salmon…the possibilities are endless. You don’t have to bother with measuring cups and scales,  I’m just looking for you to get MORE veggies and healthy foods in during the day! I like for my clients to eat 2 servings of greens a day. Leafy greens are packed full of nutrients with very few calories, and they take about 2 seconds to throw into a bowl and drizzle with balsamic when you’re pinched for time. As a reference, usually that salad you (hopefully) grab at lunch will have 2 – 3 servings in there. So there you have it. eating more veggies doesn’t mean soggy green beans. Bon appetit!