The most challenging time of the year to keep up with our healthy lifestyle has to be the holiday season. So many alluring foods with family and friends to share them with, thus resisting these meals might be a challenging task.
Regardless of what’s on the table, perhaps during Thanksgiving, Christmas, or new year, these healthy eating tips will help sustain your health during the holidays. Read below:
1. Shop Smart
During this season, it’s common to find a horde of shoppers at the mall, so endeavor to shop during off-hours to avoid scrambling and picking whatever groceries you can lay hands on just to make your way out of the crowd. This tip will afford you the luxury of examining labels and selecting healthier foods.
2. Keep it Moderate
To help you relish a hedonistic festive dinner, you only have to satisfy your cravings moderately and keep your meals nutritious. Enjoy a light lunch such as a salad with olive oil dressing and select a healthy breakfast the following morning, like eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil. All of which are low in carbohydrates and flavorful.
Forgo mayonnaise in your classic deviled eggs; replace it with yogurt. For your green bean casserole, lessen the use of bacon and butter. During Thanksgiving, if you must deep-fry your turkey, do so in healthy fat, say canola oil or peanut.
By adhering to these tricks, you can keep up with your holiday menus but with fewer calories.
3. Increase intake of Fruits and Vegetables
Eating adequately during the holidays may simply mean having more healthful options on the table. Make more vegetable dishes for dinner and dress them up uniquely without thwarting their valuable nutrients. There’s a long list of benefits attached to consuming fruits and vegetables; they contain minerals, vitamins, and fiber to prevent heart-related diseases.
Including vegetables and fruits in your outdoor cooking and holiday recipes becomes more exciting by grilling them. Get a pellet grill or smokers for the perfect combination of inviting aromas and smoky flavor.
It’s possible to grill vegetables and fruits like mushrooms, onions, summer squash, asparagus, peppers, corn and cabbages, apples, pineapples, mangoes pears. Sprinkle some chili pepper to your fruits for a thrilling holiday taste.
By grilling your fruits, you’ll be enjoying some low fats. What’s more, chemicals like HCAs and PAHS aren’t present in grilled fruits and vegetables. They can also act as supplements for grilled meats.
4. Don’t Stay Put
Don’t just eat and relax; engage in some simple exercise such as walking to reap a handful of health benefits. Research has shown that a minimum of 15 minutes of simple workout immediately after a meal can prevent dangerous blood sugar rise. Walking can also help you relax after a stressful evening and boost your digestion. These health advantages can aid in weight loss.
5. Be Responsible for What You Eat
Due to your schedules, you may find it difficult to prepare homemade dishes, but given the health benefits, you’d like to try it out.
It’s no news that premade, canned, and processed dishes contain extra sugar and salt. However, these excessive ingredients are reducible if you’re responsible for your food; for instance, prepare your cranberry sauce to control the quantity of sugar present in it. Also, you can lower the amount of sodium in your food, say cream of mushroom soup, by practicing homemade cooking.
6. Eat Slowly
The holiday’s menus are full of enticing dishes. To avoid overeating, take your time to munch on every portion of food you take into your mouth. Inculcating this habit has its health benefits; it helps to inform the brain that the stomach is full, thereby preventing excessive food intake.
7. Exercise
Regular exercises are especially paramount for your overall health during the holidays. Create time to do some moderate exercises or ice skate with loved ones. Moreover, home workouts such as side plank and three-way leg kicks will keep you in shape during and after the holidays while away from the gym.
8. Portion Control
Another effective way of avoiding overeating is serving the appropriate food size, whether you’re eating your favorite meal or not. Lessen the number of food intake by eating three medium meals throughout the day to avoid indigestion.
9. Maintain Your Sleep Schedule
There are more than enough parties organized by family and friends during the festive season. Thus maintaining your sleep schedule may become hard. However, endeavor to enjoy quality sleep, which will also help prevent bad eating habits at night or day.
10. Eat Before Attending an Event
Concerned that you might hoard tasty and unhealthy meals at a party? Then bite a healthy snack before leaving. This tactic will help control your appetite and protect you from overfeeding.
Another strategy to employ when attending a holiday event is to grab a small plate to avoid filling it with too many portions. Also, reduce your alcohol intake at the party. Begin with a non-alcoholic and low-calorie beverage.
11. Participate in Non-Food Activities
An effective strategy for healthy eating during the holiday is to engage in activities that don’t involve filling the stomach. Participate in games, and socialize with family members and friends to get your attention off the food on the table. By following these tips, you wouldn’t have to rely heavily on the U.S. healthcare system after a blissful holiday season just to get back your health.
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