Three Tips
for Staying Healthy Through the Holidays
Posted December 13, 2005
Whether it be gatherings of extended family, the first
snowfall or a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve, the holiday
season should be a season of enjoyment—not of restriction. And it’s
possible to enjoy all the holiday season has to offer without saying goodbye
to health-oriented behavior. So keep these three tips in mind for a healthier,
happier holiday season—for both you and your children.
1. Make enjoyment more about taste than quantity.
- Do not deprive yourself or you’ll end up overindulging.
Go ahead and enjoy delicious holiday treats—just mind your portions
and encourage your children to do the same. Try
snacking on something healthy at home before heading out to holiday
parties. Encourage your children to explore the
full variety of foods at family gatherings, not just those in their
comfort zones. Reach for the veggies at the appetizer
table as often as the heavier prepared foods. Drink
plenty of water to balance the intake of more festive holiday beverages.
- Stock your freezer with frozen entrees and 100-calorie
packed snacks to enjoy some of your favorite foods in healthy portion
sizes.
2. Get the family moving.
- As the temperatures turn colder, get bundled up and
take the kids outside. Go for a walk to see the
holiday lights in the neighborhood, or to bring gifts to neighbors. Park farther from the door of the supermarket
or department store. In snowy climates, build
a snowman, go ice skating or sledding, or start a friendly inter-family
snowball fight.
- Even when indoors, engage your children in decorating,
wrapping packages, cooking or playing active games such as charades.
3. Have fun.
The holiday season is all about fun, so create fun for
your family. Enjoy wonderful holiday treats together, but make the enjoyment
about great taste rather than great quantity. And even the simplest, easiest
activities can keep the family moving during the season, a holiday investment
in your family for healthy living year round.
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