Staying Healthy During the Holidays

This is a big week for holiday parties and holiday planning. Read my 7 tips to get your through the next weeks leading up to the New Year!!

Staying Healthy During the Holidays
By: Laura Cipullo RD CDE

1. Be the Tupperware Lady– bring Tupperware to family events to pack leftovers or “seconds” and  bring home to eat another time.
• Rather than overeat on delicious food, plan to use hunger fullness cues. Pack the remainders up for a mini holiday dinner part II.
2. Healthy Cook Book Exchange(rather than cookie exchange)
• Holidays typically revolve around gifts and food, so why not give a gift about being healthy and moderate? Healthy cookbook ideas are the Mayo Clinic Williams – Sonoma Cookbook and Martha Stewart’s Healthy Quick Cook
3. Favor family over food– make festivities about seeing family and not about eating food.
• Serve a simple meal and focus on entertainment like music and or trivial pursuit.
4. Stretch your dollar, save your waist – Use Intuitive Eating to portion your restaurant meal.
• Be economical and bring leftovers home to eat at the next day’s snack or meal.
5. Eat your favorite food- skip the appetizers and save room for dinner.
• If dessert is your favorite, don’t fill up on apps and entrees. Make sure you are still hungry for your chocolate cake!!
6. Secure a snack– before leaving make sure you are not starving, eat a snack to prevent overeating at the party.
• Restriction cause binging, don’t restrict the day of a special event. You are likely to overeat or even binge later that night.
7. Wine, beer and liquor on a full belly. If you drink on an empty stomach you are more likely to make poor decisions and overeat.
• Take your sip of wine with your entrée. If you drink on an empty stomach you will not be mindful of your internal or external cues.
• Most importantly, don’t drink and drive.