How to make the right food choices during the holidays. In this article, I will give you some tips for maintaining healthy habits during the difficult holiday season. With Christmas just around the corner, we are approaching one of the most difficult times of the year to maintain a healthy diet. The temptation is everywhere, our defences are down because we are tired and stressed to the max. But if we approach eating with a sensible plan there is no need to throw away a whole year of healthy eating.
1 Hold back without dieting. This is not the time of the year to start a new diet as you will set yourself up to fail; at the same time, you do not want to give yourself permission to eat everything in sight. You can get through the holidays without gaining weight by making good choices. Just because you are busy with the business of Christmas doesn't mean you should abandon your exercise regime. Try to work out at least twice a week and don't abandon any of the good habits you started before the holidays. 2 Use some help. Find someone, whether a friend, your partner or a relative who you can make a pact with that you will not overeat during the holidays. It is good to choose someone who you spend a great deal of time with as it is easier to control your eating with the support of a buddy.
3 You want to make healthy choices and keep a regular meal plan. Try to eat a lot of raw vegetables as appetizers, they will fill you up and are low in calories. When at a buffet take small samples of what you like so you don't feel deprived.
4 Balance calories. If you know you want to have a dessert make sure you eat less of everything else. You can have everything but in moderation. Starter, main, dessert and alcohol but avoid binging!
5 Never go to a party hungry. If you feel hungry before a party have a small meal at home. You may want to have a piece of fruit, a small dish of vegetables or an energy bar. Make sure you eat three meals a day. Do not skip meals because you have a party at in the evening, as you do you are more likely to overeat at dinner.
6 Be careful of alcohol. If you want to have alcohol make sure you have a glass of water in between drinks and try to opt for low calories drink such as 1 shot of liquor mixed with a diet version of a soft drink. 7 Manage your feelings. Don't be embarrassed to refuse foods made by a friend or a relative during a home party, explain to them why you are politely declining. You can also make special arrangements in advance so that there is a provision of low-calorie servings or at least people understand why you are not eating everything that is available. Learn how to deal with holiday stress and emotions so that you don't find yourself having snacks to fulfil a sugar craving. 8 Avert Depression Every one of us sometimes expects too much from our own selves during and after the holidays such as buy presents, meet work deadlines and visit friends and family. Depression and stress are byproducts of greater prospects that you usually have after the holidays are over. All of those raise your stress hormone (cortisol) levels and as a result, you end up reaching for high glycemic carbs (sugary foods) and high-fat products. 9 Plan your chores. Doing housework is considered physical activity because it burns calories! Make sure you plan your house chores in the week and try to avoid the lift, use the stairs instead! 10 Stop everything and relax when you need to. Take breaks when you need to and don't exhaust yourself trying to do everything. Prioritize important and urgent things first to make sure you don't get too tired, physically and mentally! To summarize: - Eat what you want but in moderation - Find someone to support each other
- Eat regularly
- Keep on eye on portion control - Have a healthy snack before the party
- Keep the calories from alcohol at minimum
- Manage your feelings
- Keep stress at minimum - Keep level of activity high by planning ahead
- Take regular rests
Conclusion: When holidays come around, most people tend to overeat and exercise less. The key is to get rid of excuses and make time to exercise, try to hold back on fatty, sugary foods and alcohol. Don't be too hard on yourself if you have one or two treats more than usual, just be self-aware of what you eat and drink and do your best without letting yourself go! From FIT & FUN, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a fantastic new year!