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Making better choices for a healthier holiday season
With so many holiday parties and family gatherings focused on food, you may feel like this time of year derails all of your healthy nutrition and weight-loss or weight-maintenance efforts. “The average person gains between 6 and 10 pounds during the holiday season,” said Cheryl Kuhta-Sutter, registered dietitian with Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute. “The good news is, if you plan ahead, you can survive the holiday season without gaining weight.”
Here are some tips to help you stay healthy during the holidays.
Stay active
Even with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, make plans to continue physical activity. Take time to walk, play with kids outdoors, or participate in any activity that keeps you moving. Incorporate the family into your fitness plans by playing flag football, Frisbee or other fun games.
Don’t skip meals to “save” calories
 Many people make the mistake of skipping meals or snacks earlier in the day to save calories for holiday gatherings. This can lead to overeating and making poor eating choices. “When going to dinner or a party, you should eat a small snack before leaving home to curb your appetite,” said Kuhta-Sutter. “It may also help you from overeating.”
Make healthier food choices
Many traditional holiday foods are high in saturated fats and sugar. In one holiday meal, the average person consumes more than their entire recommended daily caloric intake.
If it is too difficult to turn down all of your holiday favorites, have a small helping of the high-calorie and high-fat foods, and choose larger portions of healthier foods. For example, fill half your plate with steamed vegetables to fill you up and keep you from overeating.
Choose turkey as a healthy holiday staple. A 3-ounce serving of skinless white turkey meat has about 2 grams of fat and less than a gram of saturated fat. Plus, it has a whopping 26 grams of protein to help keep you full. A 3-ounce serving is about the size of a deck of cards.
You can also offer to bring a heart-healthy dish to an event. There are many great healthy recipes online.
Plan a non-food reward for making good food choices and maintaining your weight during the holidays.
Use healthy substitutions when cooking
Think about how you can makeover your favorite holiday recipe. Try using nonfat/low-fat yogurt or fat-free/lite sour cream instead of regular sour cream. You can also use unsweetened applesauce instead of oil for baked goods.
Don’t feel defeated if you get off track
If you notice weight gain, begin keeping a food diary to see what is contributing to your excess weight.
If you eat more than you planned or ate unhealthy foods at a holiday gathering, don’t think you have failed. Consider extra exercise over the next few days and make healthier food choices. You have 365 days a year to choose to live healthy.
Happy holidays!
Make another healthy choice this holiday season by connecting with your doctor online through MyChart. This secure online health portal gives you fast access to schedule appointments, request prescription refills and review lab results at the click of a button. Sign up today |
