Happy Holidays! I don't know about you, but I tend to celebrate the holidays with food. Way too much food in fact! I and so many others like me tend to view the holidays as a time to eat, drink, be merry and over-indulge in so many areas of our lives. I'm not placing judgment on it as a bad thing. As far as I'm concerned, it's just a thing we do. However, the whole over-indulgence thing really can harm us if we don't use our self-control to bring balance back into our lives. Research has shown that most of us gain weight over the holidays and tend to hold on to that weight only to add on more the next holiday season. The end result ends up being that we get fatter every year -- and that's not good at all. That's why it's so important to exercise our self-control to bring balance and moderation into our lives during the holiday season. I like new year's resolutions because this is the perfect time to stop the madness and get back on track with healthy living. I want to share a few tips with you to help us stay on track or at least close enough to it to get back on it when Hanukkah is over, Christmas has passed, the Kwanzaa feast has been eaten, the New Year's Eve party is shut down, and New Year's Day is behind us: 1. Don't stop exercising. During the holiday season the gyms and fitness centers nearly shut down. Folks are just too busy working overtime so they can spend more money, shopping for loved ones and partying to give much thought to exercising. Still -- it's one of the most important activities we can do to keep that weight gain at bay. If you stopped exercising, or if you haven't been exercising in the first place, this is the perfect time to continue or start. Regular exercise will help you lose or maintain your weight and even help reduce the stress of the so-called happy holidays. 2. Eat healthy meals and snacks even if you plan to indulge later. If you fill up on fruits, vegetables, protein and complex carbohydrates you'll be much less likely to eat the many treats available, or at least you'll be more likely to eat less of them. 3. Among the many potluck parties you attend, remember to take a healthy dish that is on your list of favorites. Last night I attended my sister's potluck Christmas party and I took baked yams. Since I had attended a party at my daughter's house earlier that day and had eaten the oh-so-bad-for-me but delicious candied yams with marshmallows, tons of sugar and butter, it was easy for me to eat plain baked yams -- which are still delicious -- and collard greens only when I got to my sister's party. Truthfully, I had eaten so much crap earlier, that I simply didn't want any more of the unhealthy foods. 4. Make your plate Michelle Obama style. Fill half the plate with vegetables, then fill one-fourth of the plate with protein/meat and the other fourth with whole grains. Get full on the healthy stuff so you'll eat less of the sweet stuff. And when you do eat the sweet treats, taste them rather than devour them, eating smaller portions than usual. I'm not going to preach an entire message. I just wanted to share a few tips to help you -- and to help me -- enjoy the holidays without regretting them later. Be Blessed!
Health Conductor 798!
