Ah, the holidays. Christmas, New Year’s Eve, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. All call for family and friends to gather, eat, drink and be merry. It is a wonderful time to give thanks and celebrate life and each other.
The problem is that with all these gatherings come a mass amount of delicious, but high sugar, high fat, not necessarily healthy foods. Holidays can easily become a time of not just self-indulgence, but overindulgence. Having a plan to keep yourself on track is key to achieving long-term health goals and not falling prey to the calendar.
Here are some healthy tips you can work into your party season
- If you drink alcohol, limit yourself – If you don’t drink, all the better for your body.
- Pace yourself – If you attend an event with a buffet the temptation can be there to fill your plate to the brim, instead, choose foods you love first. Take small portions of each and pause before going back up for seconds. Are you actually still hungry? Or is it just delicious and you mentally want more?
- Eat slowly and consciously. If you are chatting away with someone it’s really easy to finish of what you were eating and not even remember doing so.
- Fill up on vegetables – many parties will have a veggie tray. Vegetables are high in fiber and can fill you up in a healthy way.
- Look for protein options over carbs – Carbs (cakes, cookies, and most desserts) are tasty, but adding more protein (meat options) can help your body feel fuller longer as well as give your body the building blocks it needs rather than just junk sugar.
- Drink water or other low or no-calorie drinks – Hydration is key, and you can easily consume hundreds of calories in an evening by drinking soda, punch, or cocktails.
- Enjoy the company and the experience over the food. We all love food. But why are you really there? It’s not to visit the crab puffs. Talk, focus, and be in the moment. They do go by so quickly.
Don’t wait until New Year’s Eve this year to decide on what you want your 2023 to look like. Envision, focus, and make yourself a list of what you would like to bring forth in the new year. If fitness and health are on your list, we invite you to choose Internal Medicine, Lipids & Wellness of Fort Myers, Florida for your health care needs. Visit www.IMLWP.com to learn more about our concierge health practice and how we can serve your needs. 239-362- 3005 Ext 200.
