Christmas has just passed through and New Year’s Eve is coming. Now we are in the holiday season, which means it is time for us to eat and drink, to enjoy parties all night long, to chill out with friends, to gather up with family and to celebrate a successful year. On the other hand, it is also the winter time when we have to face with cold weather and probably some common illnesses such as flu or sore throat. Therefore, to many of us, year-end holiday is the time for over-eating (that can lead to geographic tongue), weight gain, hangover and sickness. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the festive season by keeping healthy with a moderate amount of foods, a balance of activities and fun.
Following are 7 simple but amazing tips that are suggested below for helping you stay healthy over the holiday season.
1. Eat well
During the holiday, it is common for you to join parties with sugar and flour products, rich foods and more. However, to stay healthy, you had better control what and how much you are eating every day. There are some ways to maintain a healthy holiday eating as below:
- At Christmas party, choose foods that are only cooked during this holiday such as roast turkey.
- Choose your favorite dishes and never fill up your plate when you are at the buffet.
- Include vegetables and fruits in your plate to supply your body a balance diet and enough necessary vitamins and minerals.
- Bring your own healthy dish to a shared party.
- Never skip your meals. As proved by the empty-stomach rule, if you are trying to save the amount of foods you eat by skipping meals, you will be likely to consume more calories and foods than normal meals.
- Eat slowly, take small bites, and enjoy your foods. Normally, it takes 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that you've had eaten enough so go slow.
- Have a small meal or healthy snack before coming to parties to make you slightly full, thus reducing the risk of over-eating.
- Stop eating when you feel satisfied not too full and stuffed.
2. Drink water
Drink plenty of water is one of the most important things to maintain a healthy body. It is also a calories control strategy. While water actually doesn’t have any real effect on weight loss, staying hydrated can help control your appetite. Drink a big glass of water before eating can make you full and control the amount of food you consume, thereby controlling weight. Moreover, replacing any kind of soft drinks by pure water can reduce the amount of sugar and calories intake.
3. Avoid alcohol
Yes, undoubtedly, it is hard to drink less champagne or wine during the holidays but you still need to control the amount of alcohol delivered into your body. Drinking alcohol is an easy way to consume more calories than you need because it leads to the lowered inhibitions and food control. On the other hand, drinking an excess alcohol can lead to hangover and the risk of cancers. If you still need to go for a drink, plan ahead how much you will drink before coming to the party. Let’s say one for women and two drinks a day for men. If not, choose sparkling water or non-alcoholic drinks instead for the sake of your health.
4. Stay active
Don’t ruin the workout habit you have built during a long year for unlimited time of drinking and eating. Exercise is extremely important for keeping you staying healthy not only during the holidays but also any time of the year. It can help refresh your mind as well as help your body and brain function better. You should stay active by going to the gym three to four times a week, or aerobics class every day. In case you are too busy, use every opportunities you can make to go for a walk or take stairs to burn more calories. Ask your friends and family to join you for more encouragement.
5. Prevent illness
As mentioned before, flu, cold and sore throat are common in the cold winter. Keep your body clean and warm by taking hot bath and dressing enough clothes in layers. Maintain a balance diet that contains lots of vitamin and supplement nutrients such as vitamin C to boost your immune system. Make sure that you’re heating works well to help you stay warm in house.
6. Travel safe
You will have plenty of time off during the holidays, which means you can spend time travelling and visiting relatives. Prepare well and plan your trip carefully to make sure you have everything you need. Get some extra medication and supplements with you to support your healthy diet. Check the weather forecast at your destination to make sure you will stay warm there. And one more thing, never drink and drive at the same time.
7. Be happy
The holiday spirit is all about being happy and relaxed. It is your own time to take care of yourself. So do whatever you want to make you satisfied during the holidays, for example, go for a massage with friends, watch favorite movies with your loved one, or simply wake up late one day and enjoy the rest of the day. Then, you can enjoy fully the best time of the year.
About the Author:
My name is Ashley Bennet and I am a co-owner of AuthorityRemedies. I have worked and trained in the field of Nutrition and Health for over 3 years, consistently providing people with useful information about nutrition as well as helping them with their common health problems.
About the Author:
My name is Ashley Bennet and I am a co-owner of AuthorityRemedies. I have worked and trained in the field of Nutrition and Health for over 3 years, consistently providing people with useful information about nutrition as well as helping them with their common health problems.
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