Steamboat Dietitian Shares Strategy For Stress-Free Holiday Eating

Steamboat Springs —The phone rings at 6:45 a.m. on a Tuesday in late November. It’s Mary Gay Broderick, calling from her kitchen in Steamboat Springs. She’s holding a mug of coffee and staring out at the first dusting of snow on the Roaring Fork.

“I’m trying not to think about the turkey,” she says, her voice calm but carrying a familiar weight. “But I am. That’s the thing. You can plan for it, you can have the strategy, but the moment you walk into that room and see the table, the brain takes over. And then you’re counting calories before you’ve even sat down.”

This is the question that haunts the Western Slope every November: how do you eat like a human being during the holidays without feeling like you’ve betrayed your health by noon?

The answer, according to Amy Speer, a registered dietitian at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center, is less about restriction and more about permission.

“Holidays can be very triggering for many people, and we don’t want that to ruin the experience,” Speer said. “The idea is to surround yourself with family and friends, enjoy your time together and your meals, and be in the moment. But, people tend to overthink their nutritional goals versus having a good time and allowing themselves some treats without guilt.”

The trap, Speer explains, is the all-or-nothing mindset. People skip breakfast and lunch before Thanksgiving dinner to “save room,” which just leads to ravenous overeating and a subsequent guilt-driven restriction cycle. The fix is intuitive eating: honoring hunger cues throughout the day so you arrive at the table satisfied, not starving.

Speer advocates for an 80-20 rule: 80% of your intake should be nutrient-dense, while the remaining 20% is flexible space for the pumpkin pie, the eggnog, the second helping of mashed potatoes. It’s not a pass to eat dessert for dinner, but it is a license to enjoy the slice without white-knuckling it.

And if you do slip? If the plate gets a little too full, if the wine flows a little too freely?

“It’s all about balance,” Speer said. “Every food has its place. Just because you may overindulge at Thanksgiving or during the December holidays, don’t beat yourself up too much about it – it won’t undo all the good work you’ve done beforehand. All foods can fit into our daily lives.”

Mary Gay Broderick hangs up the phone, takes a sip of her coffee, and watches the snow settle on the valley. She’s got a list of groceries to pick up, a schedule to keep, and a table to fill in three weeks.

She’s not worried. She’s just ready.