More Helpful Eating Tips for the Holiday Season!

If you feel you have overindulged, add some physical activity. It may be tempting to sit on the couch watching football all afternoon, but everyone would be better off going for a walk. Taking a group walk provides another opportunity to visit and catch up.

If your work place is filled with goodies during the holidays, set some ground rules with your co-workers. Which items will be kept around the office, and which items will be divvied up to take home? Can you establish one central location for the treats, which you can easily avoid? Can you bring in healthier choices to contribute to the mounds of food? Keeping healthier options at work makes it easier for everyone.

Pack a calorie conscious lunch for work that you love. That way you will be filled up and less likely to snack on treats around the office.

Keep lists of tasks that must be accomplished over the holidays, and don’t hesitate to cross off the items that really aren’t that important. Many times the stress of over-committing or leaving items for the last minute leads to poor food choices.

To avoid indulging in high fat fast food when your days are especially hectic, pre plan several quick, healthy meals, and have them available for reheating.

Try eating a healthy snack at the end of your work day or on your way home, especially if you plan to run errands on your way home.

Don’t disregard the calories from those Starbucks drinks you grab on the run while shopping. Some grande (medium) drinks contain as many as 500 calories!

If family gatherings themselves are stressful for you, practice relaxation techniques that you can call upon when everyone gets together. Remind yourself that you may only have to deal with some of these people a couple of times a year rather than every day!

Maintain perspective: Overeating one day won’t make or break your eating plan. By the same token, don’t give yourself time off from your health goals for Halloween all the way through New Year’s!

Plan on NOT dieting for your New Year’s resolution. Anticipation of food restriction may set you up for binge-type eating over the holidays.

Try to get plenty of sleep throughout the holidays. Often we reach for food for energy when we are actually just sleep deprived rather than hungry. Plus, you can’t eat while you are asleep!