Health and the Holidays

 

I woke up to a blizzard today – literally (we do have them on occasion in Minnesota), so I think it is a great day to blog!

In December, the temperatures drop significantly, the sun does not stay in the sky for long, and there are plenty of holiday treats and foods and parties to tempt us.  We move less, and we eat and drink more.  This is not a good recipe for good health.

Food, food and more food

At this time of year, there are so many parties – those you host and those hosted by friends and family.  There are treats at the office – the potlucks, the treat table, the Secret Santa, etc.  You are most likely cooking and baking something for all of these gatherings, and probably sampling the goods along the way!  Our bodies are not able to handle the increase in sugar, fat and calories, and the increased amount of these foods we eat, so it is the hardest time of year to stay healthy.

I like Bethany Frankel’s (author of Naturally Thin) theory:  your diet is a bank account.  So you balance your diet like you do your bank account.  For example, if you eat pancakes for breakfast, you do not then eat pasta for lunch; rather, you have a salad with chicken and veggies.  This is how naturally thin people eat – in BALANCE.

So how can you navigate through all the temptations of the holidays?  Here are a few of my own tips:

• Eat something healthy and filling before you leave the house.  If you are not hungry, you are less likely to be interested in the decadent foods offered to you OR if you cannot help but partake (which is often my issue), you will eat less of them.
• Load up on the crudités (raw vegetables) first.  Raw vegetables have high water content and are high in fiber, so they will make you feel fuller longer.
• Use a small plate, take your time and do not go back for a second helping.  Using a small plate is a psychological trick; your brain sees a full plate (even if it’s small) and you will eat less.
• Be snobby about the food you choose to eat.  Do not sample everything – rather, choose those foods that are not always available to you and savor them.  Skip foods that you can eat any other day of the year.
• Avoid the high calorie items like cheese, cream sauces, gravy, butter and whipped cream.
• When signing up for the office potluck, be the one that brings the vegetable tray or bowl of cut up fruit.  People will be very grateful for the “guilt free” addition to the potluck.

The Cocktail Party

Alcohol is very high in calories.  Period.  For instance:  One glass of red wine is 120 calories; one pint of beer is 180 calories; one ounce of cream liqueur is 160 calories; and one shot of hard alcohol (vodka, rum, whiskey) is 50 calories.  If you are not careful, you can easily drink a meal’s worth of calories in a very short amount of time.

In addition to lowering your inhibitions, alcohol lowers your cortisol (a/k/a the “stress hormone”) levels.  We need a sufficient release of cortisol to make us feel hungry, so when it drops, we feel hungry and we eat more than we should.

My tips for holiday beverages:

• Avoid specialty drinks that are made with sugary syrups and/or liqueurs (often made with cream and added sugar).  These cocktails go down very easily and are unbelievably high in calories.
• Dilute the alcohol.  Mix hard liquor with a low-sugar mixer and drink wine spritzers.  (Keep in mind – using soda pop as a mixer is a bad idea – very high in calories and loaded with corn syrup and additives.)
• And if you decide to imbibe, always make sure you are drinking plenty of water.  Alternate each alcoholic drink with at least one full glass of water.

Finding time to work your body

Our schedules fill up quickly during the holiday season and for many of us, holidays can be very stressful.  That is why it is very important that you keep your body moving, not only to burn off the extra calories, but to help cope with the added stress. 

Some tips:

• While you are running all of your errands, walk as much as possible.  Use the stairs, walk extra laps in the mall, take the dog for walks, etc.
• Shovel the snow (instead of plowing it).  Today is a great opportunity for that if you are one of us lucky mid-westerners!
• Embrace winter – try snow-shoeing, cross-country and/or downhill skiing.  Sledding is a great opportunity for an awesome workout – once you slide down the hill, you have to climb back up!
• If you are traveling over the holidays, plan ahead.  Find hotels that have fitness centers (most now do).  Check with family and friends with whom you might be staying to see if they have fitness equipment that you can use during your stay.  You can also pack fitness equipment in your suitcase – resistance bands, a workout DVD (if you have a laptop that plays DVD), running shoes, yoga clothes, etc.

The best gift you can give yourself and those you love is health.  Take care of yourselves.  Happy holidays!!

Angela, Santa’s Healthy Elf 🙂

References:

1. “Naturally Thin,” by Bethany Frankel
2. “Alcohol Can Impact Your Appetite,” MedIndia, August 27, 2009 (www.medindia.net)
3. “Alcohol Metabolism,” Dr. Dan Rutherford (www.netdoctor.com)
4. “Calories in Popular Alcoholic Drinks & Alcohol Calories Chart” (www.fatburn-secrets.com)