Too much turkey? Tips for a healthy diet beginning right after Thanksgiving!

Health Tip: Holiday Diet

If after Thanksgiving you feel somewhat defeated by your diet, it’s no reason to wait until New Year’s Day to start over. It is possible (and important) to maintain an healthy and nutritious diet through the holidays, while still enjoying all of the feasts and festivities.

All text above and below quoted from sources: Web MD, LifeWork Strategies and Washington and Shady Grove Adventist Hospitals. The Health Tip of the Week is for educational purposes only. For additional information, consult your physician. Please feel free to copy and distribute this health resource. Full text available 20111123 http://www.clarksburghospital.com/uncategorized/holiday-diet/

A study by the New England Journal of Medicine found that most people gained about one pound between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Although it doesn’t seem like much, the problem is that we often don’t loose that pound and they accumulate over the years. In addition, high stress during the holidays can lead to increased food or alcohol intake, and can have serious long-term health consequences.

Try some of the following tips to maintain a healthy diet during the holiday season:

· During the week, distance yourself from office goodies. The further away you are from treats, the less you will eat. Stash healthy alternatives at your desk.

· Avoid eating late at night. Allow your body to rest and repair itself and balance blood sugar. Oftentimes holiday parties cause us to eat later than we should. On most days, try to follow the “7pm rule” and cut out late night snacks.

· Make a Plan & Stick to It. Having a plan will help keep you in control, so try writing down on a piece of paper the number of hors d’oeuvres you’ll have that night. Decide ahead of time whether or not you’ll have dessert, and how many bites you’ll have.

· Live healthy the day of a holiday party. A good strategy is to have something to eat before you go to the event, so that you’re not gobbling your way through the dessert table. A cup of soup can be very filling, and acts as a perfect healthy deterrent for over indulging. Drink plenty of water and make time for exercise before the party.

· Find a party buddy. Recruit an ally who shares your goal for a healthy holiday. Share your plan with them and hold each other accountable when you are tempted to have a second dessert!

· Help yourself to the healthy hors d’oeuvres. Give yourself permission to fill up on veggies, healthy proteins and fats. Use this as an opportunity to consume some of your recommended five daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

· Lighten up your favorite dishes. There are lots of ways to prepare holiday foods with less fat and salt. Mash cooked sweet potatoes with orange juice instead of butter. Roast vegetables, such as squash and carrots to bring out their natural flavor. Make a black bean dip flavored with lime juice and cilantro instead of salt.

· Converse! As humans, we tend to nonverbally mimic behavior. So if you’re standing around the chip dish and one friend starts munching, you may have an overwhelming desire to munch too. To help avoid the chip dish, keep your mouth busy by using this time to chat with friends and family.

Seek additional support if you feel you are overindulging in unhealthy food or alcohol to alleviate stress. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), family doctors or clergy can provide valuable assistance and resources to help you feel more in control.

Sources: Web MD, LifeWork Strategies and Washington and Shady Grove Adventist Hospitals. The Health Tip of the Week is for educational purposes only. For additional information, consult your physician. Please feel free to copy and distribute this health resource. Full text available 20111123 http://www.clarksburghospital.com/uncategorized/holiday-diet/

LifeWork Strategies provides a continuum of proven products and programs for employers that help improve the health and wellbeing of individuals, and increase employee productivity. Our programs include EAP, Work/Life, Wellness Programs, and Flu Shots. For more information, contact Emily Noll at enoll@lifeworkstrategies.com.

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