Holidays offer temptation for party–goers to abandon healthy nutrition habits. Late nights and the chilling cold keep most of us away from exercise regime, all this is enough to jeopardize our fitness goals. Here are 10 tips from WF experts that can help make your holiday season a healthy one.
Eat Sensibly
Eat more fruits and vegetables. These are packed with powerful antioxidants which can help offset the effects of stress and possible late night get-togethers during this time of year. If you have a party at your house, put low-calorie and fat-free salad dressings on the menu. Pack the table with flavorful vegetable dishes, and make reduced-fat versions of your family’s favorite traditional dishes.
Stay Active:
No matter whatever might be the reason try to follow a regular exercise routine to help regulate metabolism. Don’t have an hour to spare? Try 10– or 15– minute brisk walks at intervals throughout the day – they all add up. Remember, after a holiday meal, to wait 60 to 90 minutes before taking your walk.
Drink plenty of water.
Water is essential to keep all our systems functioning smoothly but it’s also essential for rehydrating the body and recovering from a hangover. You should be drinking, on average, two litres of water each day and more if you are physically active.
Do not party on a empty stomach
Eat something at home before you go to the event or party. When you’re hungry, you tend to overeat and are likely to choose foods that are less healthy. Have a healthy vegetable soup or grab a piece of fruit on the way out to the party to tide you over.
Do not drink or, if you drink, limit your alcohol intake
Make water or diet sodas your beverages of choice. If you do choose to drink alcohol, be sure to have something to eat along with it. Also, choose light beer and wine over mixed drinks. A holiday-sized mixed drink can have as many as 500 calories or more.
Control your portion sizes.
One of the most important rules to remember all through the holiday season is the law of energy balance, which states: To lose body fat, you must consume fewer calories than you burn up each day.
- There are two corollaries to the law of energy balance:
- Too much of ANYTHING gets stored as fat – even healthy food.
- Small amounts of anything – even junk food – will probably NOT get stored as fat as long as you don’t indulge too frequently.
There’s no reason to deprive yourself of things you enjoy. Just make sure you don’t overindulge. As long as you enjoy your favorite foods in moderation, and you keep working out, it probably won’t end up around your waistline.
Try to maintain your present weight
Don’t try to diet during the holidays, instead try to maintain your present weight. In this way, you have a realistic goal. You allow yourself to indulge here and there, but you don’t go over the edge.
Relax and Breathe
Take some time out of your busy holiday schedule for a little R&R (rest and relaxation). Set aside at least 15 minutes each day to just sit and relax. Deep breathing exercises can help relieve stress and tension. Incorporating some meditation on a daily basis is also a good idea — even if it’s only for a few minutes a day it will help you remain centered. If you do so, the rest of your day will be more productive.
Opt for Quality sleep
Quality sleep is essential for a balanced life. During sleep, the body rests, cleanses, and purifies itself. It repairs, rebuilds, grows, and heals itself. During sleep, the stresses, strains, and tensions accumulated throughout the day are ideally released, and, in our dreams, to some degree resolved.
Create a new holiday tradition that builds connections among your family and friends.
Annual holiday traditions can be a source of great comfort, satisfaction, and connection between friends and family. But creating a new holiday tradition can be just as satisfying. Take a fresh look at your various holiday activities. If you discover that one or more of your current holiday traditions is in need of an overhaul, or that you yearn to supplement them, consider creating a new holiday tradition. Keep in mind that the best traditions may be the simplest ones that involve spending quality time together.
The key to a healthy holiday season is balance and moderation.