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