5 tips to prevent holiday weight gain & stay active

1) Hydrate
H2Oooooohhh yeah! Drink a large (16 oz.) glass of water 15-30 minutes before every meal, especially before hitting a holiday buffet. Water will help you feel fuller, eat less and aid in the digestion process.

2) Indulge in moderation
Deprivation is a recipe for disaster, but so is unlimited indulgence. Find a happy balance and allow yourself 2 or 3 small portions of your favorite holiday treats. For the rest of the meal, stick to healthier options like veggies, lean meats, low fat cheese and fruit.


3) Weigh in
While it’s tempting to reach for elastic waist pants and hide your bathroom scale for the month of December, neither will help keep you accountable. If you see the number on the scale creeping up or feel your favorite pants getting tighter, you’ll likely pass on that slice of pie.

Think you can take an accountability hiatus and start again in the New Year? Neglecting healthy eating habits and exercise during the holidays will only make your resolutions more difficult.

4) Make exercise appointments
Consistent exercise and protected time to de-stress are more important than holiday shopping and gatherings. To avoid making excuses or falling into the trap of being “too busy”, schedule exercise on your calendar just like you would any other meeting. Bonus, you can even set an event reminder alarm to alert you it’s time to get moving!

5) Share fitness with loved ones
The best part of the holiday season is spending time with friends and family, so connect while staying active! Take an after dinner walk with your kids, go hiking with your cousins, attend a fitness class with your best friend, or register for a fun 5K. Make fitness a new part of of your holiday tradition!

ven

Healthier Options: Thanksgiving Edition!

I LOVE the fall and winter holidays!  The sights, the sounds and especially the holiday FOOD.  I remember as a kid, the scent of my Mom’s turkey and gravy wafting through the house on Thanksgiving Day.  My family and I would indulge ourselves on the bountiful feast spread before us and celebrate the holiday giving thanks to family, friends and health.

Fast-forward 20 years and I am going to be preparing a Thanksgiving meal for my OWN family now.  I will definitely have Mom’s recipes in mind and will be trying my hand at lightening some Thanksgiving side dishes so I can stay on a healthy path and not fall into the Thanksgiving “coma” from over-eating heavy foods. 

This year I plan to be a more mindful eater. I will prepare some recipes in advance to test out new, healthier side dishes so I know which ones my hubby will enjoy (and which ones he will attempt to feed the dog on the sly).  I have included some lighter side dish recipes below and encourage you to also experiment on your own!  Have fun this Thanksgiving and remember: It’s a holi-DAY not a holi-MONTH so instead of embarking on a month long food fest, take control of the day and kick-start your motivation for a healthy holiday season!

RECIPES

1.   Healthy Potato Gratin with Herbs: Skip the mashed potatoes this year and try a lighter potato dish that loses the heavy cream but keeps the flavor with fresh herbs.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/healthy-potato-gratin-with-herbs 

(recipe courtesy of Food and Wine)

2.   Cider-Glazed Roasted Root Vegetables: Instead of a basic sweet potato/yam dish, try this delicious recipe that brings an added sweetness with apple cider.

http://thescrumptiouspumpkin.com/2014/11/25/cider-glazed-roasted-root-vegetables/ 

(recipe courtesy of the Scrumptious Pumpkin blog)

3.  Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing: Take unhealthy “stuff” out of your Stuffing this year with wild rice, whole grain bread and dried cranberries.

    http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/cranberry-pear-wild-rice-stuffing/ 

(recipe courtesy of the VegKitchen with Nava Atlas blog)