Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

It's amazing how many parties there are in December! But what a fun time to get together with friends and family to remember the reason for the season. But just like you, I need to stay relatively balanced so my healthy lifestyle track doesn't get too far off-kilter. Here are some survival strategies so we can all remember in order to stay on track through the Holiday season:

• Avoid starving yourself in preparation for a party or get together. This is a very common approach, but it is a guaranteed way to take in too many calories. Instead, strategize a plan so you can enjoy calorie-rich foods in moderation.
• Maximize the veggie tray. Most parties do have some lower calorie fare such as vegetable trays and salads. Load your plate with larger portions of these foods to keep your total calories in check.
• Watch those alcohol calories! The average alcoholic drink is around 150 calories, so be mindful of how many you enjoy. Not only do these calories add up, but drinking alcohol decreases inhibitions and could cause you to overeat.
• Contribute the healthier dish. If you need to bring a dish to a potluck party, bring a healthy dish to balance out the higher calorie choices. Most people that have healthy mindsets are very thankful for these type of dishes. This also ensures that you have some low calorie choices to include with the higher calorie foods you plan to eat.
• Be mindful of mindless eating and grazing. Many people tend to eat in the absence of hunger during social situations because the food is simply there. Try and be extra conscious about why you are eating. It sounds obvious, but make sure you only eat when you are hungry and not just because the food is merely there in front of you. Go back to the basics.
• Increase physical activity. Who says time spent with family during the Holidays has to only involve eating and sedentary activities? Be the encourager of your family by suggesting a refreshing morning walk or even an after dinner game of hoops at a local park. Be creatively deliberate about staying active, which is sure to help avoid Holiday weight gain.

Our family is heading to the northeast to celebrate Christmas with friends and extended family members. We will be enjoying many holiday foods of many types. We plan to implement these tips while we travel. There are many trails where we're heading, so my husband and I are looking forward to bundling up and doing some long trail jogs together to maintain our physical activity.

Hope you have a very safe, happy and Healthy Holiday!