2018 Dec Articles Archives

Top Ten Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

Healthy holiday eating can be hard. During the festive season, big family meals and tasty treats are the order of the day. It’s a time to eat, drink and be merry, but it’s all too easy to overdo it and end up feeling physically and emotionally worse for wear. These healthy holiday eating tips will help you to check those unhealthy behaviours, and get through the festivities guilt-free.

Go Easy on the Booze

You’re watching what you eat, but what about drinks? Alcohol is high in sugar and kilojoules, so limit the number of drinks you have at a party, and alternate your alcoholic beverages with soda water or diet soft drinks. This is a good way to prevent holiday hangovers too!

Don’t Shop Hungry

This is the time of year when you’ll be spending plenty of time at the mall, shopping for gifts and ingredients for holiday meals. Make sure you have a healthy snack or meal before a shopping trip, so you won’t be tempted to hit the food court afterwards.

Choose Lean Protein & Veggies

Avoid carb-heavy meals (like pizza and pasta) and opt instead for dishes that are high in lean protein, with vegetables or salad on the side. Steer clear of deep-fried goodies too – battered fish, calamari and French fries all contain unhealthy fats and extra kilojoules.

Control Your Portions

Moderation is the key to healthy holiday eating. Keep your portions small, and try a little bit of everything – a variety of foods in smaller amounts will give you a bigger variety of nutrients, filling you up faster. You can also try dishing up your food on a smaller plate, which makes your portion appear larger and tricks your body into feeling fuller.

Stay Active

Of course, it’s hard to stick to your regular gym routine during the holidays, but make sure you find other ways to get enough exercise. Try to get in three good workouts a week – a family fun run, a game of soccer in the yard, or a run on the beach are all great ways to get your heart pumping.

Focus on Raw & Steamed Foods

Whenever you can, choose vegetables and salads over less healthy sides like fries. Steamed veggies and crunchy raw salads are high in fibre, so they’ll fill you up, but they’re low in kilojoules, so they won’t leave you feeling bloated or low on energy.

Bring Your Own Food

If you’re following a special diet or meal plan, it helps to make sure you have some dishes available that you can enjoy without straying. Before a festive get-together, get in touch with the host and offer to contribute some of your own dishes to the gathering. This also saves your loved ones the stress of catering to a variety of dietary restrictions.

Be Smart about Sugar

Festive season desserts are a real treat – don’t deny yourself a little something sweet, but be smart about your choices. Share dessert with a friend, or choose fruit-based options over creamy dairy-based puddings, cakes and biscuits.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

It’s easy to fall out of your regular routine during the holidays, but don’t forget the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast makes you more likely to overindulge later in the day, and it will make your metabolism sluggish too. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast, even if it’s a small one – a bowl of muesli or high-fibre cereal with a sprinkle of fruit and nuts will kick-start your metabolism and give you a happy, energised start to your morning.

Carry Sugar-Free Mints or Gum

Keep a stash of sugar-free peppermints or chewing gum with you when you go out to a party. When you’ve had enough to eat, pop one of these palate-cleansers in your mouth, and you’ll be less tempted to go back to the buffet table.

Armed with these healthy holiday eating tips, you can make smarter choices without putting a damper on your festive celebrations!

Sources

Festive Season Survival Tips for Healthy Eating. Retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/festive-season-survival-tips-for-healthy-eating-70138

9 Healthy Holiday-Eating Strategies. Retrieved from: https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/eat-healthy-during-holidays

Strategies to Tackle Holiday Season Stress

The year is drawing to a close, and a lot of us are feeling the effects of holiday season stress! While this is supposed to be a time to wind down and relax, in reality it becomes a high-pressure season for many people. Here are some quick tips for managing festive holiday stress, and saving your sanity during “silly season”.

Top Causes of Holiday Season Stress

Where does all that stress come from? In most cases, it’s the result of holidays that are crammed with activities, big meals, family gatherings and high expectations. These are the things that can leave you feeling frazzled or burned out over the holidays:

Demanding schedules
Overspending
Overindulging in rich foods
Drinking too much alcohol
No time to recharge
Pressure to make the “perfect” holiday happen for your loved ones

Stress-Busting Tips for the Holidays

Prioritise! It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the activities and demands on your time. Decide which traditions are the most important (and the most positive), and prioritise those over the rest. Aim for quality over quantity; choose a few favourite festive season activities and focus on enjoying those.

Plan ahead: Set out a schedule for your holiday – write it down on paper and assess how realistic it is. Then adjust it accordingly, depending on your priorities.

Spend smart: Set a budget and stick to it, no excuses! There’s no need to splash out on overpriced goodies you can’t afford – a thoughtful gift will always mean more than an expensive gift. Instead of the latest gadgets and “must-have” mall items, try your hand at a batch of home-made holiday cookies for your loved ones. Or schedule some quality time with your closest friends, in lieu of material gifts.

Eat smart: Be aware of your “weak spots” when it comes to festive foods and snacks. Eat a healthy breakfast every day, to regulate your metabolism and prevent yourself from overindulging later on. Try to keep your holiday meals as balanced as possible, with a choice of fresh, fibre-rich veggies and fruits in the mix.

Drink less: Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, and the more you drink, the less likely you are to make smart decisions. Alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and calories too. Limit your number of festive cocktails, and switch out the booze for a glass of icy soda water with a splash of lemon and lime instead. This will help to keep you hydrated, and will also prevent those dreaded holiday hangovers.

Get some exercise: Sure, none of us want to be stuck in the gym over the holidays, but there are lots of fun ways to keep yourself active during this time. Play sports with your family, take walks on the beach, plan a hike or go for a bike ride – you’ll feel healthier and more energised afterwards.

Take some time alone: This is a time when you’ll often be surrounded by friends and family, and while it can be a lot of fun, it can also be draining. It’s important to take a little time out for yourself every day – a walk, a bath, a few minutes of meditation or a few pages of your favourite book will leave you feeling relaxed and recharged.

Keep your expectations realistic: We all want that picture-perfect holiday, but sometimes that’s simply not a realistic expectation. Be aware of your limitations, like how many people you are able to host or visit. And remember, it’s okay to set healthy boundaries with difficult friends or relatives.

Give something back: Volunteering is a wonderful way to share a bit of joy with those who are less fortunate, or who might be spending the holidays alone. Spend some time at a soup kitchen, a children’s home, an old age home or an animal shelter. Giving back and helping out is so rewarding, and it really does help to spread some extra kindness around.

With a bit of planning and a positive mindset, you can keep holiday season stress to a minimum this year, and enjoy the happy times more fully.

Sources

25 Ways to Fight Holiday Stress. Retrieved from: https://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20306655,00.html