Healthy Eating Tips For The Holidays

The holiday season can be the toughest time in the world to lose, or maintain weight. Any festive season, whether it be Christmas, New year's day, Thanksgiving, or Passover, shouldn't be an unhealthy season for binge eating. Here are a number of strategies and techniques on how to eat healthy, and avoid gaining those extra unwanted pounds. .

Choose Healthy Foods

Instead of munching on pizzas, chicken legs, cheeseburgers, hash browns, French fries, roast beef or pork, ice cream and cakes, choose to eat healthy food items. Go for foods that have high soluble fiber content, from barley, oats, legumes, apples, carrots, whole grains and a lot more. If you're choosing from a buffet table, sample a wide variety of foods, but serve yourself small portions only. Once you pick your favorite dessert, make it a point to share it with someone.

Eat Light And Healthy

Instead of eating the usual three heavy meals, eat five or six small meals each day. Remember to eat slowly and listen to your hunger cues. If you already feel full, then pass on the second serving to someone else. Also make it a habit to eat a light and healthy meal before any holiday feast, because you'll be more likely to control your intake afterward.

Exercise Once The Holidays Are Over

Before and after a holiday event, take brisk walks around your neighborhood, and to make up for the high-calorie food intake during the holiday season, increase your exercise levels too. Regular exercise helps to burn excess calories, reduce stress and reinvigorate your energy levels.

Drink Less, But Better Wines and Spirits

While you're actually doubling the amount of cash you're spending on wines and liquor during the holidays, it's okay to do this, as long as you reduce the amount you drink. Wine serves as a natural tranquilizer, which helps reduce anxiety and stress. It also provides energy, since it has compounds that aid digestion and stimulate appetite. Red wine, grape juice, dark beer and teas contain elements such as resveratrol and quercetin, which help boost the immune system, fight cancer, and protect against heart disease.

During the holidays, remember to eat slowly. Savor the wonderful seasonal dishes, and take your time to appreciate each mouthful, but do stop eating when you feel completely full. And as you do your holiday shopping, remember to put in a wide array of healthy items into your shopping cart. Buy lots of green leafy vegetables, exotic fruits and fresh nuts, and share them with the rest of the family once you arrive home.