Skip to main content

How to Eat Healthy Over the Holidays

There are many great things about the holidays not the least of which is the food! Pumpkin pie, gravy, sweets, treats and other goodies come out of hiding during this festive time of year. If you’re not careful you could join the vast majority of Americans who pack on some extra pounds between Halloween and new years eve. This year celebrate with intention and incorporate these easy tips and discover how to eat healthy over the holidays.

How to Eat Healthy Over the Holidays – 5 Tips

 

EAT SLOWLY

Put your fork down in between bites and take your time. Savor the good food and resist the urge to just “shovel it in”. Several studies cited by Forbes show that people who slowed their eating over time also lost weight over that same period. It’s thought that satiety hormones react more favorably resulting in a feeling of being full when food is consumed more slowly.

FOCUS ON FRIENDS, FAMILY AND CONVERSATION RATHER THAN FOOD

focus on friends and familyUnfortunately, food often becomes the focus of holiday gatherings. This year have an intentional mindset shift to spend more time focused on what’s important. Let the meal, snacks and beverages play second fiddle to family, friends and fun. You may find this leads to a more satisfying holiday without the “I ate too much” guilt that often follows.

FILL UP ON VEGGIES

When you have the chance load your plate with veggies and plant yourself next to the veggie platter at the holiday cocktail party. Veggies are good for you and because they are filling they’ll automatically reduce the amount of other things you eat.

One of the best things about Veggies is you can eat a lot of them without worrying! A word of caution if your eating raw veggies with dip, go easy on the dip!

What are the most filling veggies? According nutritiouslife.com they are:

  1. Artichokes
  2. Broccoli
  3. Peas
  4. Carrots
  5. Sweet Potatoes

ENJOY YOUR FAVORITES (IN MODERATION)

It’s ok to enjoy your favorite holiday treats and you shouldn’t feel guilty about it, after all the holidays only come around once a year. The key is moderation and self-control. Try a little of this and a little of that but don’t load up on sugary treats and drinks. In the end you won’t feel guilty or deprived.

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

Being festive requires energy and one of the best ways to stay on top of your game is to drink plenty of water. Water also has the added benefit of helping you feel full (so you won’t eat or drink as much either). This year BYOW and bring your on water bottle to your next holiday party or gathering.

I hope you have a great holiday season and you find these tips helpful. Do you have a tip you’ve used to stay on track at a holiday gathering? Leave a comment below after all ’tis the season!

Facebooktwitterlinkedinrssyoutube
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Color Me Fit – How Color Influences Your Workout

Could Color Influence Your Workout? It seems as though the answer is YES! Today, we’ll see how different colors can impact your performance.   ENERGY It is said that the color red is powerful enough to give you a surge of intense energy. Certainly seems to work for bulls. If you could benefit from an extra energy boost at the gym….think red. MOTIVATION Need some energy and motivation…try the color yellow. Maybe it reminds us of the sun? But whatever the reason it can help bust your funk and get you back to your workout. CALM YOUR NERVES According to experts, (are there actually color experts?) blue has always been known to be a color that helps to calm your nerves. So if you’re a bit nervous about that cross fit class or competing in your next race think blue. SO HOW CAN YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS COLORFUL INFORMATION? Try putting on workout clothes in a color that works for your particular needs Select a RED gym bag for more power Choose a Yellow Yoga mat to stay motivated Put on ...
Post a Comment
Read more

5 Ways to Support Your Immune System

What is Your Immune System Your immune system is your, invisible-shield which helps protect you from various diseases. It’s a complex system and while strengthening it or boosting it sounds like a smart idea the ability to do that has been difficult for researchers to nail down. However, there are simple lifestyle changes you can make to support your immune system.   Keeping your hands clean helps  prevent the spread of germs and germs can  attack your immune system.  When should you wash your hands?  Before eating,  After using the bathroom, After petting and animal  After coming in contact with someone who is sick.  To wash thoroughly sing one verse of Happy Birthday! (that should be enough time). Get Plenty of Sleep Not getting enough sleep suppresses immune system function. According to Web MD, studies have shown that  T-Cells  go down and inflammatory  cytokines  go up when you don’t get enough sleep and that can leave you...
Post a Comment
Read more

4 Simple Things That Lead to Good Health

  It All Adds Up I recently went to the doctor’s for my annual check-up and I got a clean bill of health! While checking out I noticed a sign with four simple things anyone can do to stay healthy at any age. It occurred to me that I do all of those things so I thought I’d share them with you here in this live video. Four Things! 1 – Move Even moderate exercise on a consistent basis can have a big impact on your health. Look for fun things to do on the weekend that keep you moving and active. I like bike riding, skiing, running, and disc golf! 2 – Get enough sleep Have a solid bed time to help ensure you get enough rest for your body to repair and refresh. Most sleep professionals say 7-8 hours is good for adults . 3- Eat real food Avoid eating processed foods and foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce. Generally, these don’t contain the nutrients your body needs for optimal health. 4 – uh….oh no I forgot # 4! Ok so you’ll notice I forgot # 4 (thank goodness my doc wasn’t testin...
Post a Comment
Read more