Four Ways to Eat Healthy During the Holiday Season

The holidays are a time for us to gather with family and friends to celebrate. With celebration, comes food. If you have been working very hard at eating healthy, losing weight, or maintaining your weight, this may be a difficult time for you. The last thing we want to do is over indulge in all the delicious food that surrounds us during the holiday season. What are some things you can do to avoid over-eating and sabotaging all your hard work?

Prepare Yourself before the Party

One of the most helpful things you can do for yourself before heading to the party is to not skip a meal or arrive hungry. By eating a light, healthy snack before leaving the house you are setting yourself up to make better choices. Try a low-fat yogurt, fresh fruit, or a small bowl of whole-grain cereal with skim milk.   

Offer to Bring a Healthy Holiday Food

If you are hosting the party you have control of the ingredients that are added to the favorite holiday recipes, but as a guest it is not as easy. However, just because you are a guest does not mean you cannot offer to bring a healthy, low fat dish to pass.  Most hosts will welcome an additional dish and the other guests may enjoy having a healthier option to choose from. If you offer to bring dessert, maybe make a pumpkin pie without the crust or baked apples. 

During the Party

The first thing you should do is remember what the celebration is about. Your mind should be focused on enjoying the time with your family and friends. During mealtime, fill your plate up mostly with vegetables. Try not to over indulge, but you should not feel like you have to avoid any item. Choose items that are your favorite and eat slowly to savor every bite. 

Drinking beverages that are high in sugar and calories should be avoided or limited. For some, alcohol may be consumed and if so, this should be limited to one drink. Alcohol adds extra unwanted calories and, if too much is consumed, it lowers inhibitions which can lead to overeating. Try consuming water with a lemon or lime, skim milk, or diet beverages.

One great way to avoid snacking throughout the party is to plan fun activities to participate in with the guests; such as playing games or doing a craft. If it is available, set up a tournament with a video gaming system that is interactive. That is a great way to burn some calories and avoid hitting the snacks that are most likely sitting out on the counter or table.

Keep Moving

This time of the year should be enjoyable. However, you still need to remain being physically active. Physical activity reduces stress and gives us more energy. Try fitting in your workout before the party because more likely than not you will be tired from all the celebrating afterwards. During the party, go on a brisk walk with some of the other guests. This can give you a burst of energy and a chance to catch up. 

If you like participating in races, sign yourself up for a 5K or some other fitness event that will keep you focused and motivated to stay active. 

Remember, the holidays are for celebrating with family and friends. If you must splurge on one, two, or even three days during the holiday season, then that really is not going to ruin all of your hard work. It takes an extra 500 calories each day, or 3,500 calories a week, to gain a pound. All the extra snacking can really add up. As long as you are passing up all the treats in the office and not keeping the goodies in your house then you should allow yourself to enjoy the foods you look forward to every year.  

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This post was originally published at FitDay.com.