Staying Healthy through the Holidays

During the Holidays, most people find it challenging to stay on track when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. Our time becomes limited and our reserve energy reaches its limit. This often leads to neglecting ourselves in subtle ways such as no longer working in exercise, failing to pre-plan our meals, no longer keeping a journal of our dietary intake and beginning to eat more high calorie, high fat foods. Take control this Holiday season using the following tips and strategies:

The Importance of Planning Ahead:

• If possible, write down what you plan to eat before the meal and stick to your plan.
• Determine what foods you will allow yourself to eat and those you will pass up. We recommend avoiding any foods you find tricky to eat in moderation. For example, in the past you would consume almost a whole bowl of nuts or M & M's because they were there. Plan ahead of time what competing behaviors you will use to stay away from your problem foods. Promise yourself that you will confront consequences.
• Weight yourself daily. Take action if you see the scale going in the wrong direction.
• Have healthier options ready in the freezer or easily available for nights at home.

Exercise and Relaxation:

• Continue to plan exercise into your week and as often as possible - even if it's going for a walk for 5 minutes. Remind yourself that something is better than nothing!
• Strive to get adequate sleep. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. Keep a bedtime routine as much as possible.
• Avoid being too busy. Don't over commit as this adds to your stress.
• Take a moment each day to slow down, reflect and give yourself credit for your efforts in living a healthy lifestyle.

Party Survival Strategies:

• Don't go to a party hungry. Have some form of protein before you leave home to help you stay more full, satisfied and prevent cravings from setting in.
• Survey the entire buffet table and decide what you are going to eat. Decide for yourself which foods are "worth it" and which foods you can pass up this year.
• Move away from the food when you have filled your plate with your choices.
• Pass on hors d'oeuvres that are buttered, breaded, fried or covered with sauces. Concentrate on fruit, vegetables, shrimp, turkey and other healthier options.
• Bring a healthy dish to share such as a vegetable tray with ranch-flavored cottage cheese or fresh fruit with a Greek yogurt dip. 
• Keep both hands full. Hold a purse or your phone in one hand and water or seltzer in the other. 
• Talk, talk, talk - make the party a social affair!
• At family meals, fill your own plate so you can control the portion sizes. If someone else does the serving, praise everything lavishly, but eat only what you estimate to be a normal/healthy portion and leave the rest. You DON'T have to eat it all!
• When you have finished eating, hold your coffee, tea or water cup in both hands to keep from picking up your fork.
• Develop an allergy to help you say no. "Thank you so much. It looks perfectly delicious, but I'm allergic to chocolate!" (Stated as a joke.)
• Don't skip meals - even on Holiday or party days. Plan nutritious meals to take the edge off hunger and to keep your metabolism going throughout your day.

What to drink:

• Decide what and how much you are going to drink before a party. Switch to non-caloric beverages such as water or seltzer when you have reached your limit.
• Drink water between every alcoholic beverage. Studies show that you'll drink half as much!
• Ask for a Virgin Mary (spiced tomato juice minus the vodka) or a fruit spritzer (100% fruit juice and club soda).
• If you want an alcoholic drink, opt for a wine spritzer, mimosa, small glass of wine or a lite beer instead of a calorie laden brandy and eggnog (4 oz. = 335 calories).
• Before and after a meal, keep yourself occupied with a glass of water or seltzer with a slice of lime or lemon.

Shopping and Preparing Holiday Foods:

• Shop and cook foods 2-3 days before a holiday or party or prepare further in advance and freeze to avoid last minute stress.
• Prepare foods you find the least tempting. Share the cooking with friends and family. KNOW THYSELF.
• Freeze foods immediately after cooking so you are not tempted to eat impulsively.
• Keep calories and sodium down and flavor up by using herbs and spices as seasoning for vegetables. Try cinnamon with carrots or oregano with green beans for example.
• Wrap and freeze baked goods in individual portions so that you can defrost just what you need when guest arrive, eliminating tempting leftovers.
• Ask the rest of the family to take over the kitchen cleanup and help you avoid one more opportunity to nibble and snack.
• Whenever it is possible, bake and cook in the company of others. Let them do the tasting for you.
• Take the emphasis off of food when you entertain. Plan parties and get togethers around Holiday activities such as carol singing, tree trimming, skating, outdoor games, etc. 
• Start a new Holiday tradition that involves the family in some kind of exercise before a big dinner such as a walk, snow shoe, or ice skating.
• Keep a pair of slightly snug pants to try on every morning. That way you'll notice the beginning of any weight gain in time to take immediate action. 
• Pack leftovers in decorated doggie bags and give to guests when they leave your party.
• Get through the Holidays one day and one party at a time. If you get off track, treat it as a small, unimportant error and go right back to your game plan.

You already have the expertise to deal with these situations. The more coping skills you develop, the easier it will be to overcome these challenges in spite of the emotion of the moment!

Make goals for the next few months after the Holidays and create an action plan to achieve them. For a few moments, put your feet up. Take some time to count your blessings. Not "worrying about tomorrow" may be a positive thought pattern as long as we don't use it as an excuse to "fail".