Tips to Keep the Holiday Season a Little Healthier
It’s amazing to think that we are once again in the midst of another holiday season. What happened to 2021!? With Thanksgiving behind us, we are now in the holiday stretch, which ultimately means time with friends and family and LOTS of eating.
This can be a tough time of year for many people who are focused on trying to lose weight or even just maintain. No doubt, most foods you find at parties are not going to have nutritional value in mind. Luckily, there are ways to avoid the negative effects of all the calories and make it through the season with fairly low impact. Here’s some helpful tips to navigate the holiday cheer and kick off a stronger 2022!
When looking through food options on the table, look for the healthier foods and go for them first. These would be things like veggies, turkey, or sweet potatoes. Try to work on these types of foods first and it will leave you with less room for the sugary items.
If it’s pot luck, make sure the recipe you contribute is a healthy one. This way you have the option of loading up on your dish first and leaving less for those recipes not on the “good list”.
Socialize more. If you can get pulled into more conversation, it will keep you distracted from making another round along the buffet table. Keep chatting and engage with people!
Consider having a (healthy) meal before you go to the party. Showing up not hungry will be a great way to reduce your temptation of all of the food items.
Think about the calories you’re taking in with beverages. Red wine has less calories than egg nog. Just saying…
Try to simply keep a distance from the food table. Without it looking you in the eye, you’ll be better able to resist going back.
Try to slow your pace of eating. By waiting 20 minutes after eating, your brain will register that you’re full and you won’t be so inclined to get more.
Typically, parties will be on the weekends. You can consider those cheat days, but make an extra effort to cook healthier meals for the rest of the week.
BONUS TIP: Get a good workout in before any get together. It will get you in a good calorie burning mode and reduce the effects of holiday eating!
At the end of the day, this wonderful season only comes once a year. While we want to do our best through it, we also should enjoy these times and it’s OK to indulge in the things we love. So, Tip #10: Enjoy yourself! Value your time with your friends and family and be thankful for what you have. 2022 is around the corner and we can use that time to get back on track! Happy holidays!
Rob Liguori, DC
