‘Tis the season to be jolly, and make unhealthy choices that lead to nutritional folly.
After celebrating Thanksgiving this year, I realized how difficult it was to be consistent with
my health goals while surrounded by family who aren’t as health conscious. So, here are a
few tips to help you enjoy your upcoming holidays with food and family.
Commit to a healthy start.
Keep a normal breakfast routine. Don’t starve yourself. A lot of people skip breakfast
and starve themselves during the holidays for various reasons. This includes the infamous
misconception that they will be hungrier, and thus able to eat more food at dinner.
Start the day with a small meal that includes fruit, low-fat or fat-free dairy, protein like eggs
or nuts, and whole grains, so that you can enjoy your favorite foods without adding excessive
calories. A one-quarter cup of everything can do you well.
Be mindful.
Listen to your body. If your body is telling you that it’s full, then it’s full.
Many succumb to the pressure of eating everything in sight for fear that the food will escape
them. Even though the food isn’t going anywhere, many people feel they won’t see it until
next year, so there’s a greater pressure to eat a lot of it.
Eat your favorite holiday foods more than once a year or cook them throughout the year so
that when the holiday comes, you won’t feel like you have to eat everything right away.
Be mindful about your portion sizes. Sort out the foods you will definitely eat, those you
want to try and those you will skip.
Be accountable.
Accountability is important for staying in good health. Once you’ve eaten what you like
during the holiday, go back to your regular regimen.
I’m not much of a calorie counter, but fitness planners have proven to work for many. Be
accountable to your fitness goals, and to the scale, if needed.
Instead of eating leftovers for the entire week, reduce intake from three times daily to once a
day.
Also, heighten your vegetable intake to compensate for the high amounts of saturated fatty
acids from meat and starch during the holidays. Try putting two or three meat or starch items
on the plate, and fill the other half with fresh vegetables.
Stay active.
Many people, including myself, are tempted to stay indoors during the winter to avoid the
snow and cold. Thus, many become inactive.
While there are many indoor activities you can enjoy, take advantage of the snow. Go ice-
skating, build snowmen, go sledding, play with your family dog (if you have one) or throw
snowballs.
Enjoy your time fostering your relationship with friends and family. As indicated by the
Harvard Medical School, social connections improve heart health, gut function, insulin
regulation and even increase life span.
Let this holiday season bring you good cheer and good health!
Lazarus Lynch can be reached by email at lynch.record@live.com.