Fall into the holidays
Ten simple tips to stay healthy during the holidays (without deprivation or guilt) BY SUSAN SAGAN LEVITAN
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Make healthy food choices whenever you can Aim to reduce processed foods such as sweets, chips, and fast foods. Instead, fuel your body with a balance of lean proteins, healthy fats, and healthy carbs. Nutrient-dense foods will make you feel full and help you resist unhealthy holiday temptations. If you are attending a holiday event and know healthy options won’t be available, bring a salad or vegetable plate.
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Cook at home as often as you can Restaurants tend to serve super-sized portions and foods loaded with sodium, sugar, hidden ingredients, and calories. Since you control the ingredients and the portion sizes when preparing you meals at home, it is likely your meals will be more nutritious and reduce the chance of overeating.
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he holiday season is filled with joy and cheer. Yet, it brings increased social obligations, additional stress, and food temptations that can easily undermine your health goals. Since many holiday celebrations revolve around food, it’s easy to pack on extra weight this time of year. On average, people gain between two to five pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. But overeating and lack of exercise cause more than just weight gain. Getting off track with your healthy habits can also lead to increased stress, poor sleep and self-esteem, decreased energy, and compromised immune systems. Whether you deprive yourself throughout the holidays and feel guilty when you eat something, take an “all-in” approach and push your healthy eating and exercise aside until January 1, or fall somewhere in between, I am sure by now you’ve learned these approaches aren’t effective or fun. The good news is there is another way. With these ten simple tips you and your family can stay healthy during the holidays and still enjoy your favorite seasonal foods— guilt-free.
