How to celebrate the season the healthy way
The holiday season is a time for fun, family and, let’s not forget, food. Lots and lots of delicious, high-calorie food loaded with sugar and fat, seemingly everywhere we turn, all of it nearly impossible to resist.
Between work functions and
endless holiday soirees, the sheer amount of cheesy appetizers, buttery
entrees and sugar-laden desserts can be overwhelming — especially when
you’re trying to maintain or lose weight.
But
you don’t have to let the holidays weigh you down. In fact, staying fit
while having fun requires less willpower than you might realize. Here
are a few tips for staying healthy and energized throughout the harried
holiday season.
Smart snacking
That’s right.
Snacking can be a key to cutting calories. The first rule to staying fit
throughout the holidays is never arrive at a party hungry. With the
abundance of tempting, fattening treats available, choosing an appetizer
or dessert that fills you up and not out can be a challenge.
Satisfy your hunger
beforehand with something rich in protein or fiber but low in fat,
calories and carbs that will nevertheless alleviate the growling in your
stomach, making for a smart and guilt-free snacking choice. Dried
fruits and nuts are always a good choice, and they’re quite portable for
holiday travels. So are carrot sticks and celery. Yogurt chips, trail
mix and protein bars make for smart, healthy pre-feast snacking, as
well. A quick look around a supermarket, or specialty stores such as
Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, will reveal an abundance of healthy snack
choices.
Get moving However you do it, find time during the busy holiday season to exercise. As any personal trainer or nutritionist would tell you, it’s the key to seeing results with any diet. Cutting back on calories alone just isn’t enough.
But
don’t think you have to be a pro athlete to stay fit. Fitness centers
across the U.S. make exercise regimens relatively affordable and
accessible to people of all abilities and fitness levels, and many of
them are open 24 hours a day, making it easy to slip in a 30-minute
workout when it’s most convenient. But there are myriad athome options
that require no membership fees or cross-town drives. A small stationary
bike can work wonders for cardio workouts. Some high-tech models, such
as the line from Expresso Interactive Fitness, offer video tours to keep
riders interested and engaged. Nintendo Wii offers a wide range of fun
and effective video workouts — everything from bowling to yoga.
Strap
on a good pair of running or walking shoes and hit the neighborhood
streets for a long walk or run; it’s a great way to stay fit and check
out all the spectacular holiday displays. Strengthen your muscles
through weight training or Pilates, but always remember to check with
your physician before starting any new exercise regimen.
Drink up
Most holiday
gettogethers offer a variety of beverages such as wine, spirits, eggnog,
soda and coffee. In moderation, they can be a festive treat. But they
can also leave you dehydrated and consuming more calories than you
intended.
This year, pair your
libation of choice with a glass of water. Recent research shows that
drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before breakfast, lunch and dinner
(while also cutting back on portions) can help meet weight-loss goals.
While each person’s hydration needs are different, the Institute of
Medicine advises that men should try to consume about 3.7 liters of
water a day — 2.7 liters for women — including water that can be found
in food and other beverages, such as fruits, vegetables or even coffee.
Try
mixing in a glass of water or another healthy drink after every
cocktail. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and not feel the least bit
deprived.
Tally it up
Wearing a heart-rate
monitor, fitness watch or pedometer is a great way to track your
progress before, during and after a daily workout. In preparation for
the holidays, choose a tool that matches your exercise regimen and
allows you to track calories consumed and calories burned all day long.
Personal calorie management devices are available at a variety of price
points and offer a wide array of high-tech capabilities. For example,
through the use of an armband and a compatible smartphone, many calorie
management devices allow people to log calories consumed, track calorie
counts for various types of edibles and even track how many steps you
take all day long.
Tools
such as these can be essential factors in maintaining weightloss goals
all the way through to the New Year and beyond. And they’ll help make
those pesky resolutions much easier to meet and maintain.
—ARA Content