Top 5 Healthy
Holiday Tips
With the holiday season already in full-swing, here are
my top 5 tips for minimizing the damage that the holiday season can bring to your exercise and dietary regime:
1) Avoid the “what the
heck” mind-set: Many people often give themselves permission to eat
whatever they want over the entire holiday break. This can result in gaining 5
or more pounds in a week. My advice is to give yourself permission to have a
few indulgent meals (often family dinners), but try to still eat healthy as
often as you can during the holiday break.
2) Workout Early! : We all know that the holidays are busy and there are often spur of the moment opportunities fun activities such as gatherings with friends and family, etc. Planning to get your workout in the morning reduces the risk of your exercise getting pushed aside by Holiday activities.
3) Eat a Big Breakfast: I must admit that I’ve been guilty of eating light earlier in the day to enjoy more of that big holiday feast. I’ve noticed that this inevitably leads to eating massive amounts of food at dinner due to sitting down to the table with a rabid appetite brought about by low blood sugar. My advice is to instead eat a large wholesome breakfast and continue to eat consistently throughout the day. When you sit down for that Christmas dinner you will still be able to sample all of the tasty items, you will just be more likely to sample them in smaller portions.
4) Eat Lean Protein and Green Veggies: To use the example of the typical Christmas turkey dinner, try to fill your plate with turkey, brussel sprouts, and any other green vegetable that may be on the table. Limit your consumption of stuffing, mashed potatoes, yams, and the like to 1-2 tablespoons each. This will help to limit the amount of fat you might gain from the excess starchy carbohydrates.
5) Plan outdoor activities: Try to plan some fun outdoor activities such as ice skating, tobogganing, a snow ball fight, etc. If you having a meal as a family, consider going out for a walk as a family before you sit down together.
Other tips:
Be very cautious with eggnog:
·
1 cup of eggnog contains a whopping 340 calories
and 19 grams of fat.
·
Add an
ounce of rum and you are at 400 calories for the one drink.
·
Consider skipping eggnog all together, or
choosing a lighter eggnog which can spare you over 100 calories per cup
Limit your desert intake:
·
1 small slice (140g) of pumpkin pie contains 310
calories
·
Add a serving of whipped cream and your desert
comes in at over 400 calories
·
Regardless of what the desert item is, try to
limit yourself to one small serving
Look up healthy recipes online:
·
Regardless of what you are preparing, whether it
be stuffing, cheesecake, or fruitcake, there is always a healthier way to
prepare it
· There are millions of healthy recipes online, just
make sure to choose recipes that have been given favourable feedback in the
comments section of the recipe
Bottom Line:
We all want to indulge and have some fun over the
holidays, and so we should. Just make sure of being mindful that you are not
indulging “just because”. Have fun, stay active, and eat healthy when you can!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Kristian Leach
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