7 Holiday Health Tips from Experts
The Holiday season makes many of us lose our motivation, binge mindlessly on festive foods and abandon our exercise programs. But you can keep yourself motivated! We asked top fitness bloggers, nutrition experts and trainers for their best kept secrets to staying fit during the holidays and rounded them up just for you.
1. Eat Smart
Dietitian and author of ‘Enlightened Eater’ Rosie Schwartz gives several tips for eating smartly during the holiday season. “It is a popular myth that eating lightly the day of a party allows people to binge at the bash”, she says. “If you arrive at a party starving, you’re more likely to hijack the first hors d’oeuvres tray you see. Before you can say Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah, the cheese plate may be history. Stay in control – don’t skip meals earlier in the day. Have a snack before you head to the festivities. A bowl of broth or vegetable soup or some fruit and low-fat yogurt can take the edge off your appetite so you can be selective about your food choices.”
Rosie also warns about drinks. She adds, “In some cases, drinks do more to foil your girth-control efforts than even nuts and other holiday fare. Sugary beverages won’t satisfy your appetite; you’ll eat the same amount whether you drink water or a 12-ounce cola (140 calories). The same goes for alcohol. And since booze is dehydrating, you’ll want to toss back more after your first glass. Popular protein-rich drinks such as eggnog are annual rituals, but they pack a mighty caloric wallop at almost 350 calories and 20 grams of fat per cup.”
2. Turn Holiday Activities into Excuses for Exercise
“Along with the holiday season comes celebrations and parties and lots of food and, what appears as, a lack of time for daily physical activity,” says Maganga Lumbu of Health Canada, when asked about her favorite holiday health tips. “Turn holiday decorating into an opportunity to work on flexibility. Take stretching breaks while hanging decorations about the house, trimming the tree and cleaning those cobwebs on the ceiling. Take advantage of the festive atmosphere and dance, as much as you can! And shovel that snow yourself instead of hiring someone.”
3. Stay Active
According to Wellness professional Michele Drake, staying active will combat stress, increase energy, improve your attitude, help you manage your weight and make it easier to return to your normal responsibilities once the festivities end. “Set an activity “minimum” and stick to it,” advises Michele. “Be creative with exercise during this time of year, i.e., walk around the mall a few times while deciding on that gift, take the stairs instead of the escalator.”
4. Drink Water
Stay hydrated even if you’re not thirsty. “People don’t drink as much in winter because it’s cold and they’re not aware of their thirst, but the body needs fluid to function efficiently,” says Pat Kendall, Ph.D., R.D., professor of food science and human nutrition at Colorado State University in Fort Collins.
5. Healthy Gift Giving
Top fitness blogger Jennifer Walters of ‘Fit Bottomed Girls’ believes in the power of fitness gifts. Her health tips for the festive season include unabashedly re-gifting any food gifts that you received and taking up on holiday special offers by fitness clubs along with a friend. “After following these rules, I almost always give at least a few fitness-related gifts a year,” says Jennifer. “This year I’m giving some workout tanks to my sister-in-law and a pair of new running shoes to my mom. I’ll also probably gift a few healthy cooking items. I am in LOVE with these avocado huggers. After all, who doesn’t love avocado? :)”
6. Manage Stress
The stress that comes along with holiday preparations can get to anyone and cause mindless eating. The best of holiday health tips would not be effective if you do not learn to manage your stress. Try abdominal breathing to calm your mind when you’re feeling stressed. Rest one hand on your chest and the other on your belly. When you breathe in and out, the hand on your chest should remain still and the hand on your belly should rise and settle. “Take no more than three to five of these breaths. If you still feel anxious, wait fifteen minutes and do it again,” says Bruce S. Rabin, M.D., Ph.D. and medical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Healthy Lifestyle Program.
7. Head Outdoors
Cheryl Devine, of Devine Fitness, says “There’s nothing like being out there on a crisp winter day with a nice nip in the air to get your sinuses cleared and your blood flowing. Training outside helps prepare your body for different terrains and teaches it to adapt to changes in humidity and temperature. Training challenges your mind as well as your body. It keeps your muscles on edge and asking, ‘What are we going to do next?’ Your body needs to be stimulated in different ways to get into better shape.”