Tips for Eating Healthy and Decreasing Stress Through the Holidays

Don’t stress out about the Holidays and the dreaded weight gain that usually ensues. Taking just a few precautionary measure will enable you to maintain your weight and possibly even lose. Follow these tips and you will arrive in January feeling confident and full of energy.

1. Don’t arrive on an empty stomach! Although you may be tempted to skip lunch so you can splurge on dessert, don’t! Have a nutrient dense breakfast and/or lunch such as an organic, free range omelet, vegetable sticks and hummus, fresh fruit and almonds/walnuts, a salad, or handful of nuts, before you arrive. Skipping breakfast or lunch may cause you to overeat and consume more calories than you would if you had eaten something beforehand.
2. Offer to bring a healthy dish. This strategy not only provides you with a good meal option, it takes stress off of your host/hostess.
3. Water, Water, Water! The goal for water is ½ of your body weight in ounces of water, every day. Proper hydration will allow the nutrients you consume to be properly utilized. Dehydration is one of the main causes of overeating.
4. Avoid excess alcohol. Have on glass of red wine followed by a glass of sparkling water on the rocks with a fresh squeeze of lemon.
5. Avoid processed foods such as crackers and chips. If it grows on a plant or is from an animal source, eat it. If it is processed in a plant, stay away!
6. Focus and enjoy conversations, meeting new acquaintances, and making memories with family and friends instead of consuming excess food and drinks.
7. Recruit support! Be sure your family and friends know what you are trying to accomplish and ask for support. An accountability or workout partner can help keep you focused when your motivation is lacking.
8. Have some down Time each day. Self-care is not the same as being Selfish! You deserve time each day that you can relax. Turn off the phone, computer, and TV, enjoy a bath, read a book, play a game, engage in meaningful conversation…anything that can take your mind off your busy day.
9. Get out and move. Our body is designed to move every day. Aim for some type of activity 30-60 minutes each day (yes, 7 days per week). Start with a brisk walk and then move into other forms of exercise.
10. Get 7-8 Hours of Sleep. The body needs time to rest and repair. While you are off dreaming, your body is busy repairing the damages that it has been exposed to. Darken your room, turn off noises, keep a routine and don’t eat 3 hours before turning in for the evening to help improve your sleep.