12 Tips for A Healthy Holiday Season

December 15, 2009 by Rachel Lerner
Filed under Featured, Health, Nutrition

The holidays are an exciting time of year for most, or a stressful and overwhelming time for some. I recently was invited to speak about healthy ways to enjoy the holidays. When I talk about healthy living I incorporate many areas in one’s life, not just nutrition. Because I believe it is so important to understand what living a healthy lifestyle means I decided to share some of the tips from my workshop.

1. Eat Breakfast – You want to jump-start your metabolism right away in the morning, within 60 minutes of waking up, if possible. Would you take your car out without fuel in it? Well we should treat our bodies the same way. Studies show people who eat a healthy breakfast that is packed with protein and whole-grains, such as oatmeal or eggs and whole grain toast, lose weight quicker than those who eat a small non-nutrient dense breakfast.

2. Drink Water – water is the best way to cleanse our systems. It keeps us hydrated. Especially if you are drinking alcoholic beverages, make sure you drink water as well. During the winter months our skin tends to be drier and water helps keep it moist.

3. Cut Back on Alcohol – I am not saying to eliminate alcohol during the holidays but after celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s you might want to cut back for a little while. The calories from alcohol can add up quickly: Anywhere from 80-100 for a light beer or glass of wine to 400-600 for a specialty drink like eggnog.

4. Eat two small snacks a day – this helps keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day, eliminating the urge to overeat, especially when it comes to unhealthy foods. A plain yogurt with an apple or trail mix make wonderful healthy snacks.

5. Cook at home most of the time. When you are not going to holiday parties or dinners it is best to cook your meals at home. Restaurant dishes always have more calories, sugar, salt and saturated fat than we anticipate. Make easy and quick dishes if you don’t have the time to really prepare a whole meal. Do your chopping on the weekends when things might be a little less hectic. This way everything is ready to go. Also make enough so you have a leftovers which you can use the following night or for your lunch. I personally find cooking is my downtime, relaxing!

6. Use herbs and spices as your condiment of choice – herbs and spices and nutrients to your food without extra calories. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

7. Eat fruits and vegetables – fruits and vegetables are a great way to load your plate with nutrient dense low-calorie foods. They also contain a lot of important vitamins and minerals along with fiber. The fiber in them helps bulk up your food which keeps you full longer. They provide the highest amount of nutrients to our bodies with the least amount of work to digest.

8. Exercise - your workout routine is extremely important to maintain during the holidays. Besides helping to manage your weight it also helps to manage your stress levels by releasing endorphins or feel-good chemicals. Even a 15-20 minute brisk walk is better than nothing. Aim to exercise on days you are going to a holiday celebration or eating and drinking more than usual.

9. Sleep – sleep is so important to our well-being. When we sleep our bodies are healing. Ever notice when you are exhausted you tend to eat more and less healthy? Craving caffeine, sugar, carbohydrates? Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. If you are unable to get that much sleep during the week try to make-up some of the time on the weekends.

10. Self-care – This is how we take care ourselves. During the holidays we are so busy worrying about others, whether it is buying gifts or doing other good deeds we sometimes forget to take time for ourselves. Self-care can be weekly or daily. Small things such as enjoying a cup of tea, a warm bubble bath or a 10 minute meditation go a long way. Exercise can be considered self-care.

11. Read nutrition labels – they tell you what is in the foods you are consuming. Everything from serving size and calories to sugar and fiber content is on the label. Ingredients are always listed from the largest quantity to the smallest. The most important secret to healthy living is to read nutrition labels. Nutrition labels have become so confusing, yet they are extremely important to understand. They tell us everything we need to know about the packaged product we are purchasing. You know everything from the ingredients in the product to the serving size and sugars. Keep in mind that ingredients are listed from the highest amount to the lowest amount. When you are checking the serving size be realistic with your actual serving size not just the products.

12. 90/10 Rule – eat healthy 90% of the time so 10% of the time when you do indulge you don’t feel guilty. If you want a piece of cake or a cookie you should enjoy it without feeling as if you are doing something wrong. When we eat healthy foods 90% of the time we are providing our bodies with the basic support it needs. When you try to eat a clean and pure diet all the time it can be overwhelming.

Relax and Enjoy, Happy Holidays!

Article Photo Credit: www.flickr.com