Staying Healthy: Tips for surviving the holiday season

by Megan Miraglia, MS, RD, LDN
WW Account Manager

Holiday season has officially begun. Decorations are out, radio stations are buzzing with holiday music and you may be stressing out about surviving another calorie loaded and germ induced holiday season. With the right tools of healthy eats and stress busting physical activity, you won’t only stay healthy and manage your weight this holiday season, but will ring in the New Year with a fruitful start.

Get moving.

Have a plan to incorporate physical activity into your day and stick to it. Plan ahead and pencil in a walk, trip to the gym or hike into your planner. Value the time you set aside to exercise as you would an appointment with your boss.  Physical activity will power you through the holidays with more energy, rev up your metabolism, stomp out stress and improve overall health. Enlist a friend, co-worker or family member to help you stay on track and add some social fun to your exercise.

Eat right.

Try incorporating these 5 super foods into your diet to provide you with the right nutrients to fight off colds, holiday stress, stay energized and prevent overeating to ward off that extra notch on your belt loop.

1. Vegetables – Try incorporating more vegetables into soups, stews, chili’s, and casseroles. Have a platter of fresh, cut-up vegetables on hand in the fridge for a quick snack to help you reach your heath goals.
2. Beans – Beans are full of fiber to keep you full longer, improve heart health, reduce cholesterol levels and provide necessary b-vitamins to help boost energy levels.  Try a 3-bean soup, black bean chili, or Indian dahl with lentils. Experiment with different sides dishes for your next social get together.
3. Fish – Load up on omega-3 fatty acids to incorporate more healthy fats, reduce cholesterol levels and keep skin glowing. Try serving omega-3 rich salmon, tuna or haddock instead of the usual saturated fat loaded red meats like steak or roast beef at the holidays.
4. Fruit – Reap the benefits of all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants found in brightly colored fruit by topping your morning cereal, oatmeal, toast or bagel with cut-up fruit. Serve fruit for dessert this holiday season. Try an angel food cake trifle with vanilla Greek yogurt, cinnamon and fresh berries or oranges.
5. Yogurt – Add extra calcium to your routine to maintain bone health, heart health and manage weight. Try replacing dips and sauces that call for sour cream with unsweetened, plain, Greek yogurt. Top your salmon with a dollop of dill infused Greek yogurt for added flavor with a calcium boost.

One final tip: listen to your body. It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that it’s full. Think that extra serving of mashed potatoes or slice of pie is calling your name? Wait 15 -20 minutes by sipping on some water, chatting with another guest or circulate around the room. Still feeling the urge for an extra helping? Go for a lower-calorie option such as vegetables, salad or fruit.

Enjoy the delicious holiday foods in moderation and remember to bring the focus back to the people and relationship.