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Planning for Healthy and Weightless Holidays

by Barbara Lewin

Since March, the consider using a healthy majority of South- meal service. Never shop west Floridians have when hungry. spent more time at home than ever before. To adapt Plant-Based to our new conditions, a Nutrition little creativity is useful in What we eat can affect our reworking or engineer- mood. According to Dan ing our environment to Baker Ph.D., author of make it more conducive What Happy People Know, to our best health and to happiness and health help us enjoy the holidays are interdependent. His and stay healthy with less research indicates that the weight gain. more vegetables and fruit

In normal times be- we consume, the greater tween Thanksgiving and our feelings of well-being New Year’s, the average American gains and happiness. For example, blueberries are between five and eight pounds. Repeating associated with a more positive mood. Eatthis pattern several years in a row leads to ing one cup a day can also have cognitive excessive weight gain. This is why we need benefits, even for those experiencing agea realistic eating and behavioral plan for related decline. Be sure to choose organic. the holidays. Having a plan and realizing that we might make mistakes gives us a Cook Foods in Bulk track to get back on if we derail. Some Cooking healthy options such as vegetarian things to consider: chili or a pot of lentil soup makes it easy to Resisting Temptation in the refrigerator and easily reheated. Keep tempting/high risk foods such as processed chips, crackers and cookies, which Hydration we eat when we’re not really hungry, out of Optimal hydration can actually improve the house or limit them. Portion out snack mood. Studies have shown that mild dehyfoods rather than toting the whole bag. dration can cause feelings of hunger and Healthy Snacks track of fluid intake. Create a variety of Keep fruit and cut vegetables available herbal teas, club sodas and stevia or monk for easy access. Rather than crackers, try fruit sweetened products. When making zucchini or cucumber slices with guaca- our own, avoid artificial sweeteners. mole or hummus. Eat frozen cherries for create portioned meals that can be stored sleepiness. Carry a bottle of water and keep something sweet. Create a personal trail Stress Levels mix recipe using dried fruit, nuts and a Poor eating habits are usually stresslow-sugar cereal to put into individual bags related. Being aware of what triggers stress, and store in the fridge. checking in with ourselves and taking mini-breaks as needed. This helps to keep High-Fiber Foods stress from piling up, making it more likely Set a goal to include some fruit, vegetables that as the day progresses and stress acand/or whole grains with every meal. Eat- cumulates, there will be fewer moments of ing high-fiber foods creates the sensation reaching for the wrong foods to self-mediof feeling full, making it less likely to over- cate and get through stressful periods. eat. Learn to make some healthy meals or Poor eating habits are usually stress-

related. Be aware of stress triggers and check in with yourself on a regular basis. Take mini-breaks as needed to prevent stress from accumulating. Go for a walk, listen to music, stretch or do some yoga poses to break the stress cycle so that there will be fewer moments of reaching for the wrong foods to self-medicate and get through stressful periods.

Potluck Holiday Parties

When getting together with others for a meal, take a healthy dish, particularly something personally enjoyable. Others may also appreciate healthy options. At a special dinner or event, eat lightly. Exercise during the day. Research indicates that individuals that exercise tend to make better food choices. Watch alcohol intake, which plays a role in weight gain by reducing the body’s ability to burn fat. It also leads to poor food choices. Practice gratitude for nourishing the body with wholesome fresh food.

Don’t Skip Meals and Avoid Mindless Eating

Focus on the meal, eat slowly and chew well. It takes at least 20 minutes for the stomach to send the message to the brain that we’ve had enough to eat. Th e hara hachi bu habit among Okinawans is eating until they are 80 percent full. Among the longest living people, they don’t eat until they are full, but until they are no longer hungry.

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting limits the length of time and perhaps number of times that we eat during the day. Try fasting for 14 hours or gradually work up to this.

We can set ourselves up for success. It’s not all or nothing. Our health and wellbeing are about the accumulation of choices we make throughout a lifetime. Having an occasional splurge is usually not a problem, as long as we get back on track. It’s what we do most of the time that makes the biggest impact on our health and weight.

Barbara Lewin, RDN, is a functional nutritionist, registered dietitian, and sports nutritionist. For more information call 239300-0072 or visit Sports-Nutritionist.com. See ad, page 15.

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