The holidays are just around the corner. That wonderful time of the year again and your days are going to be filled with moments of merriment. A time to celebrate with family and friends. This season is usually associated with the abundant presence of foods and drinks, mostly decadent, and an almost unspoken rule of consuming in excess while doing fewer exercise.
Right now, we are probably already thinking about the roadblocks about to confront us and might waste the healthy activities and lifestyle that we cultivated all year long. Don’t worry, here are some effective tips for staying healthy during the holidays.
Find Ways to Keep Yourself Active
The holiday season usually adds at least a couple of pounds (or more) every year, and this really accumulates during our lifetime. So, it’s better to be realistic during this time of the year. Instead of trying to shed off any extra weight, just try to maintain your present weight.
If you’re one who enjoys outdoor activities, the cold winter might dampen your spirits (assuming you live in the northern hemisphere) for exercising. Try doing your exercises indoors. One way to keep fit is to use the stairs in going up and down of your apartment or office building. If you know how, ice skating is a wonderful activity that you can do with your friends or family members. If you have never ice skated before, give it a try this holiday season.
If walking outside is not an option, get out the treadmill from the basement and start walking/running. Or even go for a walk in a mall, nice and warm there. This is especially helpful when you are doing your holiday shopping. Brisk walking can burn up to 400 calories an hour. If you know that you are going to a party, it’s better to do some kind of workout beforehand. This will enable you to burn off calories to offset the ones that you are certainly going to put back in.
Must Read: Treadmill Vs. Elliptical: Which Machine Burns More Fat?
During the cold winter months, it is common to see co-workers getting sick. If possible, try to avoid interactions with people who are down with cold or flu. Washing your hands often can help prevent the spread of viruses and germs. Always stay dry, and dress in layers to keep yourself warm.
One thing that people always forget during this time is to get enough sleep. Having enough sleep rests your body and helps heal it from the stresses experienced during the day. Most importantly, keep yourself hydrated. This will give your immune system a boost and keep those hunger pangs away.
Focus On The Fun, Not The Food
Besides the office party, we often receive invitation for other parties being thrown by family and friends during the holidays. And when there’s a party, you know that there are going to be lots of food being offered on the table. And usually drinks too! Plenty of sweets on offer which as you know can be very difficult to resist.
If you’re thinking that choices for healthy food might be limited, offer to bring along some healthy dish such as a salad or baked vegetables to share. I’m sure that the host will be very thankful for the chance of having one less thing to prepare. Or even a healthy appetizer such as a platter of vegetables or fruit, coupled with a healthy dip will be a welcome addition to the buffet table.
When attending a party, make sure you are not too hungry before you get there. This will lead to overeating. So don’t be skipping lunch before the event. Have a small healthy snack before you go.
Have you ever been to a buffet and you start loading your plate from the get go and quickly realize you won’t have enough space on your plate as you have seen other food items that you would prefer more?
Ok, so now you are at the party. Instead of diving right into the buffet, do a passing survey of the food arrangement. That way you can fill your plate only with your favorite foods and pass on your less favorite ones. If fruit vegetables are present, you should also include them to balance your plate (that is if they aren’t your favorite). Enjoy your favorite holiday treats in small portions or have fruit for dessert instead. If you feel that you really need to taste several desserts, just cut off a slither of each.
Also be wary of consuming too many beverages (this includes alcohol, sodas and juice). Having too much eggnog for example will help pack on the pounds. It is very easy to overdo alcoholic drinks. Try and limit these and pick and chose the events you will drink at and have a healthier drink at the others.
Try not to socialize around the food table. The further you are from the array of holiday treats, the lesser the temptation is to just reach out and pop treats in your mouth. Go around the room and socialize with the other guests. Better yet, just sit down with a group of family or friends and indulge in meaningful conversations while having fun and cutting on the calories.
Be mindful of avoiding the guilt associated with the holidays and don’t restrict yourself. This will do more harm than good to your body. It’s the season to be merry, but this doesn’t mean that we should forego being healthy this holiday season. You can keep yourself in tiptop shape while still indulging in all the holiday cheers that this season offers.
Thanks for reading. What do you think about these tips for how to stay healthy during the holidays? Let us know, by leaving your comments/feedback or suggestions below. Cheers!!
About The Author: Shannon loves all things outdoors such as hiking, camping, and bike riding. After her second child, Shannon was left with large stretch marks and is now passionate about helping others prevent and help reduce their own stretch marks as well as reduce other skin spots & blemishes. She can be found at SkinHealthBody.com
