Savor, Balance & Drink Lots Of Water: Healthy Holiday Eating Tips From A Local Dietician
These last few weeks of the year are some of the most fun, but with all the candy, rich meals, and holiday cocktails — not to mention some of the stress that comes with traveling, hosting, and finding the perfect gifts — they can also be a little rough on your health.
Thankfully, we’ve got neighbor Greg Bandolik to help with some ways to deal with it all. Greg is a Registered Dietitian with a Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University, whom you may have met if you attended Alden LaPaglia‘s recent Healthy Holidays event. If you missed it, here are some of Greg’s tips for eating healthy through the holiday season, and beyond:
• ENJOY EVERY BITE: Eat slowly and savor what you’re having. It’ll prevent you from overstuffing yourself through mindless eating.
• CHOOSE YOUR INDULGENCES: Go for your favorites, but skip those that you can live without, and balance your plate with fruits and vegetables.
• LIKE SECONDS? I do, too. That’s why I always take small portions and use small plates.
• WATER IS YOUR BEST FRIEND: Sometimes, what we think is hunger is actually thirst. Drink water before and during meals and it’ll help fill you up. Drinking ice water or seltzer can also attenuate your holiday drinking, too — and alcohol adds calories.
• EAT BEFOREHAND: Heading to a party at a bar? Eat at good meal at home first and you can avoid the overpriced and overgreased bar food.
• AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE APPETITE AWAY: Eat an apple or another piece of fruit before meals. The fiber and water will help you fill up quicker.
• DID YOU OVEREAT? That’s fine. Go light on the next meal. One big meal won’t make you gain weight. Consistent big meals will.
• DON’T GO (CHRISTMAS) SHOPPING HUNGRY: You may have heard that you should never go food shopping when hungry. That also goes for holiday shopping — eat beforehand so you’re not tempted by the often unhealthy fare available where you’re shopping.
• MANAGE YOUR STRESS: Stress is inevitable, but don’t let it linger. It’s bad for your mental health, bad for your physical health, and it raises your levels of cortisol, which could contribute to increased appetite and weight gain. One way to manage stress is…
• GET MOVING: Even during this busy time of year, it’s important to plan a little time for exercise, even if it’s a good walk every day. It relieves stress and can help slow down weight gain.
• CHEER UP! Most people actually only gain one pound during the holidays. The problem is, they usually don’t lose it, which adds up year after year. But here’s the thing about these holiday eating tips — they work all year.
What are some of your strategies to dealing with food, stress, and health during the holidays?
Photo by GenBug