5 Tips for Staying Healthy This Holiday Season
1. Know Your Weaknesses
It’s important to know what your temptations are and how best you can avoid overindulging in holiday food. If you know that placing that bowl filled with candy or sweets on your coffee table is going to tempt you, then instead place it somewhere out of sight. If you know that having leftover pie in the house is going to lead you to eat more than what you have allowed for yourself, send it home with guests after a party! Know what your weaknesses are, then plan accordingly so you can stick to your fitness goal.
2. Don’t Store Up Calories
Make sure you eat meals throughout the day before a big holiday dinner. If you end up “saving your calories” for the dinner, you will be more likely to overindulge due to hunger! Eating small meals throughout the day will help insure that you will be less likely to overeat at a party or gathering.
3. Set Your Personal Food Limits
Remember that it is okay to say “no” to seconds after a meal or dessert. Sometimes the social pressure of a host or hostess encouraging us to eat more leads to overeating at a gathering. Set your food goals before attending a party (e.g. have one slice of pie) and stick to them.
4. Get moving
All the traveling, family gatherings and extra errands to run makes it difficult to keep a workout routine. It’s best to find time in the morning to workout, even if it’s for 15 minutes. Even a short workout in the morning can help curb your hunger for the rest of the day.
5. Wait Before Grabbing Seconds
After you finish eating, wait 15 or 20 minutes before you load up on seconds. Research has shown that it takes our bodies that much time to register that we are actually full. Instead, spend that time talking a walk outside or talking with friends to distract from extra servings of food.
