Why Processed Foods Are Draining Your Energy During the Holidays

I love this time of year–the scents, the food, the family, the warm & cozy sweaters, and the presents. 

Not everyone loves this time of year. 

Holidays are supposed to be joyful, but if you're feeling drained, crabby, and running on caffeine fumes, you're not alone. The culprit might be closer than you think: processed foods. These sneaky energy zappers could be sabotaging your holiday cheer. 

Yes, they taste delicious and are easy, quick grabs during a busy season. 

But are they hurting you more than they are helping you? 

How Processed Foods Affect Energy
Processed foods—like packaged snacks, sugary treats, and fast food—are designed for convenience, not nourishment. They cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar, putting stress on your hormones and leaving you tired and irritable.

These foods also offer little to no nutritional value, meaning that while they fill that hunger need, your body isn’t getting the vitamins and minerals that are needed from real food, leaving you fatigued. Ironically, this increases the stress on your body from a physiological aspect too. The body requires many minerals to process sugar (carbohydrate) which are not then repleted by these same foods. 

Take away: eat real food and prioritize protein to stabilize your energy. Instead of that quick muffin or bag of chips, grab a meat stick or greek yogurt. 

Common Hidden Culprits
You might think you're eating "healthy," but even holiday favorites like flavored coffee creamers, pre-made gravies, and store-bought snacks are packed with hidden sugars, additives, and unhealthy fats.

Even though you are busy, this is a great time to be reading ingredients. Those delicious pre-made meals your mom or grandma made growing up have changed. In many cases, these boxed or canned foods were made with simple ingredients decades ago and have been corrupted by our food system and are no longer a good substitute for the homemade version. 

There are companies that are doing this right, so just read your labels. 

Simple Holiday Swaps

• Instead of: Pre-packaged cookies.
  Try: Homemade cookies with almond flour and natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup.
• Instead of: Sugary holiday beverages.
  Try: Hot cocoa with unsweetened cocoa powder and real maple syrup.
• Instead of: Canned cranberry sauce
  Try: Organic canned cranberry sauce OR make from scratch with fresh cranberries, sugar, and orange peel (it's super easy!).

Processed foods might seem harmless and we tend to minimize how often we are consuming them,  but they take a toll on your energy and mood. Imagine starting the new year feeling energized and refreshed—ditch the processed foods, and you’ll see the difference. 

This is one of the MOST powerful changes I made in my own health as well as for my clients. They report improved energy, improved sleep, and improved mental health when they finally kick the reliance on processed food.

Join me for my free January challenge to kickstart your journey to better health! Save your seat HERE and share with a friend who you want to join you. We start January 6th! 

Rooting for you, 

Katie