The holidays are a time of gathering, gift giving, family visits and rest. It is a time to assess our goals and projects for the New Year.
It's a time of tradition, when the tables in every corner of the world are decorated with typical dishes of the season, and when loved ones come together to share these very special days.
While it may be true that the holiday season can take you off the course of healthy eating and regular exercise, you can still enjoy the holidays without gaining too much weight.
Here are a few tips you can follow to help you stay on track:
- Enjoy with moderation
It's definitely worthwhile to taste the exquisite holiday dishes that are prepared with so much effort and dedication. If you eat these foods without going overboard, it is likely that you will be able to maintain your weight, and not put your health at risk.
Keep in mind that alcoholic beverages are a common accompaniment of holiday celebrations. Remember that the quantity of alcoholic beverages recommended is 1 or 2 drinks per day, and more than that can add on a lot of extra calories. Calories from beverages can contribute to weight gain!
- Maintain a balance
If one of your daily meals is much larger than usual, plan on eating smaller meals and snacks the rest of the day. Remember that exercise is an important part of the equation. The holidays are a great time to go out walking, running, or dancing with relatives and friends.
- Add a light touch to the meal
Most recipes can be modified so that they have fewer calories, but are just as tasty. If you are invited to a party and you are thinking of taking a dish, surprise the guests with a "light" version of a traditional dish, or with some type of vegetable or fruit dish.
- Give the gift of health
Since the holidays are a time for giving, what could be better than providing our relatives and friends with gifts that will benefit their health? A light-cooking course, exercise machine, sports item, or a healthy-recipe book are all excellent gift choices. Also, give yourself a gift too! Special offers at the gym are a good option during this season.
- Don’t get discouraged
If you gain a little weight during the holidays due to temporary changes in your lifestyle, don’t worry too much about it. People who maintain good eating habits and a good exercise program will return to their normal healthy eating habits and exercise routine after the holidays, and thus return to their normal weight.
- A week of flavor
To help you prepare special and healthy dishes for the holidays, starting today through the end of the year, the My Diet™ program will publish a series of traditional holiday recipes that have been modified to provide a lot of flavor with fewer calories!
You'll find delicious recipes such as Christmas salad, rice wreath, yam souffle, ham roll ups, fruit punch, broiled zucchini in seasoned butter, and pork loin in barbecue sauce.
