The holiday season is a joyous time of reflecting and connecting with our friends and family. This is the time where we are faced with difficult decisions: prioritization of what foods to eat at the parties! Yes, you know what I mean…you go to a gathering and there’s so much good food to eat. So you overindulge on the masterful culinary creations only to find yourself adding on a few extra pounds of holiday joy! But there’s also a serious health aspect to overindulging during the holiday season. Here are my top 9 tips for having a healthier holiday season.
Tip #1: Plan Ahead
Have some sort of plan of what you’re going to partake in and what you’re passing over. Remember you need to stick to your health goals. It’s easier to maintain your health goals than to keep trying to go back and attain them.
Tip #2: Bring your own food to the party
If you prepare a healthy meal/snack at home and bring it to the party you’re guaranteed to have a healthier meal (duh!) I know, you don’t want to the be the “oddball” at the party, but think of it this way, you have to live in your body, not them!
Tip #3: Never eat standing up
Remember to sit down and enjoy your meal. You need to be in a state of relaxation when partaking of your meal. Standing up activates the stress system in your body. You’ll have a more difficult time digesting.
Want to minimize holiday weight gain, don't eat standing up. Click To Tweet
Tip #4: Eat BEFORE going to the party
Fill yourself up with healthier foods before you go to the party so that you can have some sort of self-control. Just like the recommendation “never go food shopping hungry” the same applies here.
Tip #5: Stick to your regular exercise regimen
Just because it’s the holiday season and you may be taking some time off of work, it doesn’t mean you should take some time off of your exercise regimen. If you don’t have a regimen, consider starting one rather than waiting for the new year!
Tip #6: Use veggie platters as appetizers
The appetizers at the parties are what usually “gets you.” These small delectable morsels remove the guilt and like Chips Ahoy…you can’t eat just one! And that’s the problem! So have veggie platters like raw broccoli, cauliflower, sugar snap peas, kale chips as a healthier alternative.
Tip #7: Don’t starve yourself before the big meal
By “fasting” before the big meal, you begin to slow your body’s metabolism. Stick to the smaller frequent meals rather than pigging out on the main meal.
Tip #8: 1 in 7 rule
Pick 1 meal out of 1 day of the week to have your “cheat” meal. By all means, go all out. But don’t save these up and stack them all together for 6 meals in a row!!! (I know some of you out there are thinking of doing that).
Tip #9: Is it worth getting “fat” over?
This last tip comes from the wisdom of my wife…”if it’s not worth getting fat over, skip it.” Basically, choose your indulgences wisely!
If its not worth getting fat over, don't eat it! #holidayhealthtips Click To Tweet
What are some of your tips for a healthier holiday season?
Dr. Mike Okouchi
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