By: Mark Sisson
"With the holiday seasons coming up, a lot of us are looking at spending time not only on the road, but in the extended company of family, friends and others who haven’t tuned in yet to benefits of a primal diet. This means lots of time in restaurants, but also many meals prepared in people’s homes. Your gas station primer was great, but I’ve still got lingering questions about what to do in situations where my options are even more limited.
While I try to make the best choice out of what’s available in any given situation, sometimes I still get confused about what the best choice actually is. For example, should I go for the maple & brown sugar whole-grain cereal and/or pancakes that have been lovingly prepared by my host, or do I just opt for a cup of tea and later sneak the leftover protein bar in my purse, which is likely to have hydrogenated oils, corn syrup and/or other fake stuff lurking amongst its long laundry list of ingredients?
In a world where it seems like there are so many dietary evils out there, how do you personally rank which options are ‘not quite as evil’? Whole grain + sugar? Processed grain + protein? Low carb + transfats? What’s a girl to do?”
Clear the holiday health hurdles with ease and grace.
1. The lesser of three evils?
What to do when there really isn’t a great choice for those of us on the Primal Health plan? When there are no ideal choices, we do have to make compromises. Though we recognize what is healthy according to our genetic blueprint, living in the modern world, it’s simply not always possible to follow the plan. I personally would not recommend going with the protein bar. While it does potentially have some artificial ingredients and processing, I suppose this is O.K. in a pinch as you won’t drive your blood sugar through the roof. However, the holidays are about renewing friendships and family connections, and you certainly won’t do that if you’re wiping away protein bar crumbs from the corners of your mouth.
2. Portions do matter (and that’s a good thing).
In difficult nutrition situations such as holiday settings, I really believe that portion control is your ultimate weapon. Humans are not meant to consume grain, but eating a small portion of whole-grain, minimally processed and lovingly prepared food will show your appreciation without ruining your diet. Focus on eating according to the Primal Health plan - perhaps being more disciplined than usual at your other meals - so that you can have a small portion of a less-than-ideal food in order to spare feelings. In our modern world we do have to recognize that compromise will be necessary from time to time, and it’s not healthy to stress about this too much.
3. Relationships.
Part of the difficulty - at any time of year - in following a diet that is not in keeping with the standard sugary American fare is that you do not want to inconvenience your host or offend someone you care about. We’ve all been around the lecturing vegetarian or the boorish carnivore. Again, I recommend portion control. For example, Carrie always presents a lavish cake on my birthday, even though neither of us are dessert people. But the celebration is important and so we each enjoy a bite or two of the treat to honor the occasion. You can graciously inform your host - and especially family members - ahead of time as to your dietary preferences. Accept what they prepare. Even Buddhist monks will eat a bite of meat if it is prepared for them (of course, I happen to think they ought to eat more).
4. Informing with grace.
Often, a simple phone call placed or attractive little note sent ahead of time is all that is necessary to make everything pleasing to all involved. Don’t wait until the last minute or the actual event to tell your host or friend that you can’t eat their pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. Give your friend as much time as possible - preferably a week at minimum. Most importantly, however, make it clear that you do not expect them to rework their meal plans just for you. Grace is really essential. Though health is our most precious gift, if we can’t also enjoy time with those we love in a kind and caring spirit, what’s the point?
5. Offer to make it easier.
One of the easiest ways to alleviate any stress to your host is to offer to help. Don’t be pushy; you don’t want to offend your host by insisting on bringing too many items as this may interfere with the planned menu or theme. But offer to help with alternatives so that you aren’t making an already stressful situation - the planning of a holiday event - more stressful.
6. Put things in perspective.
During the holidays you are bound to come across unhealthy fare. Do your best to choose the most natural, whole, unprocessed, and low-sugar foods that you can, and for everything else, a small sample will please your host without ruining your health or your diet.
7. Turn up the volume on other healthy activities.
Though diet is responsible for 70-80% of the health rewards we can expect, when it is compromised slightly, there are other activities that can help pick up the slack. I think the most important things to do during the holidays are exercise and stress management. The holidays are a whirlwind of activity, parties, commitments, appointments and shopping. It is essential to manage your stress. It’s also important not to forgo your workouts, and in fact, you should probably exercise more during the holidays. The trouble with the busy schedule of the holiday season is that exercise is often the first thing to go. Add in sugary treats and huge portions of gravy, potatoes and other holiday fare, and it’s no wonder we gain weight and suffer mood swings. Find a way to maintain or even increase your exercise time so that the few bites of that whole grain pancake have a limited impact. I like to find ways to make exercise a part of the holiday fun, rather than an additional thing to worry about fitting into the schedule.
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