TIPS TO GET HEALTHY AFTER THE HOLIDAYS

The holidays are a wonderful time of reconnecting with friends and family. As the season ends, many focus on improving their health in the new year through weight loss and exercise.

“Weight control consists of understanding the genetic component as well as our struggle with willpower,” said Dr. Jeffeea Gullett, a primary care physician at Houston Methodist Primary Care Group in Rayford. “Losing weight can be really difficult.” With that in mind, Gullett offered tips for getting healthy after the holidays.

Stop Bad Habits In Their Tracks

To change unhealthy habits, Gullett recommends taking a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approach to become aware of our thoughts and habits around our health.

“It’s important to be mindful of our eating.” Gullett explained. “The first step to making better choices is being conscious of our emotions and behaviors and how they impact our decisions.”

Bringing awareness to our “mindless” habits, especially when it comes to eating, can be the first step to changing them. Once you’ve identified and named the thoughts and patterns that drive you to eat unhealthy foods, make a plan to interrupt those patterns before they occur.

Gullett suggested posting a list of “smart swaps,” on the fridge to remind yourself to reach for an apple instead of potato chips, for instance.

Build Yourself A Healthy Lifestyle

Getting healthy is about more than losing weight. In fact, experts say losing weight should be a beneficial side effect of becoming healthier.

“When you choose a walk instead of dessert, you’re building healthy habits that become a lifestyle over time,” Gullett explained. Here are steps to follow to get started:

1. S et SMART goals. To help ensure you’re making progress, set SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. For example: briskly walk on a treadmill for 45 minutes, five days per week, for the next 30 days.

2. O pt for healthy food choices. When it comes to nutrition, there’s a lot of bad information online. And fad diets can harm your health more than they help. Follow these sensible eating tips:

■ Avoid processed foods and sugar.

■ Don’t count calories.

■ Eat more plant-based foods, like fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils.

■ Emphasize fiber in your diet instead of protein.

3. E xercise five days per week. Aim for 60 minutes of exercise per day, five days per week. Incorporate both resistance training and cardio – maintaining an elevated heart rate (180 minus your age) for about 45 minutes. Your exertion level should be high enough so it’s hard to hold a steady conversation. Walking, running, bicycling and swimming are great cardio exercises.

If your efforts to get healthy at home are unsuccessful, you may benefit from talking with an expert. Talk to your primary care doctor about your weight loss journey and find out if you would benefit from speaking with a weight loss specialist. •

Talk to Your Doctor

To request an appointment with a primary care provider or find a PCP near you, visit houstonmethodist.org/pcg/north or call 713.394.7965 .