1. Keep your eye on portion sizes - it's often not what you eat, but how much that can lead to overindulgence at any time of the year. Use Canada's Food Guide as your guide to serving sizes. For those extra treats that are not considered part of the Guide, enjoy a small portion, such as one piece of shortbread or a small portion of the mince meat pie.
2. Make health and road safety a priority when serving or consuming holiday beverages. Nonalcoholic lower fat eggnogs, "virgin" Caesars, sparkling water and cranberry juice spritzers are great choices in keeping with the season. If you do drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Plan to have water or soda water with a slice of lemon or lime between each drink to pace your intake.
3. Use fresh zucchini or cucumber sticks, broccoli flowerets, carrot curls, red and green peppers with a low fat dip or spread such as hummus, yogurt with herbs, fat-free sour cream, or fresh salsa, rather than chips and cream-laden dips.
4. Serve crispy pita triangles, flatbread and Melba toast as alternatives to salty, high fat snack crackers. Check out the calorie content of some holiday foods and beverages here.
5. A beautiful array of exotic fresh fruits is a wonderful and refreshing end to any meal - pineapple, kiwi, mango, pomegranate, blood oranges and grapes are a colourful feast for the eyes and taste buds.
6. Let the holiday spirit move you! Enjoy regular activity during the holidays - strive for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate activity a day. Regular exercise not only will give you more energy to cope with the stress of the holiday bustle, but it can also help to compensate for some of your food over-indulgences! No time to get to the gym? How about walking to the grocery store when you only have a few items to pick up, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator at work? Carry your groceries as a substitute for lifting weights. Every bit of physical activity you can sneak in counts. If you can't get out of the house, do indoor exercise while watching your favorite TV show or chatting on the phone - squats, stretches, legwork, sit-ups, push-ups, treadmill…. the possibilities are endless.
7. Make physical activity part of the holiday fun to provide a balance to eating. Plan a cross-country ski afternoon, skating or a hike combined with a potluck.
8. Maintain your weight throughout the holidays by being careful about your choices. Have breakfast and several small meals throughout the day so you are not tempted to overeat later in the day. Limit the number of appetizers you eat, especially if you are planning to have a full meal later. If you are having a buffet, choose the smaller size plate, survey the choices before you start filling your plate and take only what you need to feel satisfied.
9. Give a gift of health that will last the whole year - an exercise ball is great for stretching; a yoga video and mat; golf lessons; some light weights for strength training; pedometer for someone who enjoys walking.
10. Track your eating and activity level over the holiday season to help you stay on track. Dietitians of Canada EATracker at http://www.dietitians.ca/eatracker is a convenient and easy to use tool.
Make these healthy living tips part of your routine the whole year round - not just for the holidays. When it comes time to write those New Year's resolutions, instead of adding "losing weight" among them, aim to make small changes over time for the greatest impact on your health. Dietitians of Canada cookbook, Simply Great Food, is an ideal gift for everyday chefs who enjoy the pleasures of healthy eating. Available in book stores and at http://www.dietitians.ca.
To learn more healthy living tips for the holidays and the whole year contact a registered dietitian in your area at http://www.dietitians.ca/find.
Dietitians of Canada represents over 5 600 dietitians across Canada. DC is committed to promoting the health and well-being of consumers through food and nutrition. For further information on nutrition and healthy eating, visit Dietitians of Canada award-winning website at www.dietitians.ca. Register to receive regular healthy eating messages from dietitians - food and nutrition information you can trust at http://www.dietitians.ca/eatwell.
Via Medicalnewstoday
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