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Jump-start a healthier New Year with four holiday eating tips

Satisfying strategies to adopt during a season of festive food.

Jump-start a healthier New Year with four holiday eating tips

Many people wait until January 1st to begin eating healthier. After all, the holidays are full of stress and extra helpings of rich festive foods, so why bother?

But banish that negative thought, because this is an ideal time to adopt new habits. “The dietary changes you make now can help you manage the stress and avoid overindulging on holiday fare,” says Teresa Fung, a registered dietitian with Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “Plus, by practicing healthier eating, you can begin the new year with momentum and motivation.”

4 keys to healthy holiday eating patterns

Fung suggests four great strategies for healthier fare that can give you a jump-start on a healthful 2023.

Focus on portion control and mindful eating. People often overeat during the holidays because of tempting food choices and larger portions — think family dinners and party spreads. “This is a wonderful chance to practice portion control,” says Fung. For example, if three different cakes are offered at the party and you like all three, take a tiny slice of each. “This way, you can enjoy a variety of goodies without overdoing it,” says Fung.

Eating at big gatherings is also a chance to practice mindful eating, which can reduce overeating. “Focus on eating slowly and savoring the flavors, and pause to talk and socialize,” says Fung. “The slower pace gives your body time to sense what you’ve eaten and signal the brain that you are full, so you are less likely to reach for seconds or third servings.”

Push the plants. When considering your holiday dishes, make plant-based foods a high priority. For instance, the Mediterranean and MIND diets emphasize eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and using healthy oils. These diets are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals that help lower blood pressure and maintain a healthy weight (both welcomed gifts during the holidays).

“The holidays are an ideal opportunity to begin the transition into a plant-based diet, since you are cooking more than usual and often need new ideas for meals,” says Fung. Here are some ways you can begin adopting plant-based habits.

  • Eat more salads. These are great for holiday parties and family meals, as you can make large amounts. “Another approach is to add a side salad to at least one daily meal,” says Fung.

  • Adopt a vegetarian day. Once a week, go vegetarian for the entire day and eat nothing but fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. “This can help you recognize the types and amounts of foods you need to eat without the overwhelming pressure to do it all the time,” says Fung. As you get more comfortable, try two days a week. A fun option is to consider specific meals or foods for certain days of the week, like Whole-Grain Wednesdays and Stir-Fry Fridays.

  • Try new recipes. Creating just one new vegetarian meal per week can help make preparing meals less daunting. “There are many easy, healthy recipes on the Internet,” says Fung. “Find something that uses ingredients you like and that requires only a few steps or minimal cooking skills.”

Get spicy. With all the extra baking and cooking, the holidays are the ideal time to add more spices to your diet. Many spices contain antioxidants, flavonoids, and other beneficial compounds that are involved in mood and inflammation regulation.

“There are a lot of spice mixes available that combine a variety of spices and can be used on all kinds of meals, from poultry to soups to side dishes,” says Fung. Better yet, experiment with creating your own spice mix. “You don’t have to know what you are doing, just give it a try and enjoy your creation,” says Fung.

Go light on the alcohol. One survey found that the average adult consumes three alcoholic drinks daily during the holidays. And a new study suggests that just one daily drink may raise a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease. Then there are the extra calories to consider. Depending on the type of beverage (beer, wine, spirits) and the amount, calories per serving can range from about 120 to more than 200.

If you do enjoy raising a glass of celebratory cheer, Fung suggests switching to sparkling water or a cocktail made of one-third fruit juice and two-thirds sparkling water after one or two drinks. “This can help keep you from drinking too much, and help you realize you can enjoy social settings without alcohol even after the holidays are over,” she says.

5 fitness and nutrition tips that really work

Each now and then we see or listen to about something that just does not seem to be to make sense, guidance that just appears to be to “go in opposition to the grain.” In other terms, ideas that are complicated to settle for mainly because they look to stand for the opposite of what we hold to be true. In the globe of health, nourishment and health and fitness there is no scarcity of these occurrences and I assumed it would be enjoyment and enlightening to come up with a listing of 10 issues that really don’t instantly make feeling, but, which are in actuality accurate. In no distinct purchase, listed here are the to start with 5. Tune in subsequent 7 days for the relaxation.

1. Take in a lot more to reduce body weight and get lean. Just one of the matters that the human body is truly superior at is survival. In the course of prolonged intervals of shortage or extraordinary exertion, it lowers the charge at which it burns calories (this is known as metabolic rate) to basically hold on to saved electricity in the form of extra fat. One way to effectively impact fat burning capacity in a optimistic way is to acquire in much more food items and to exercising a little considerably less to let for improved recovery and maintenance of muscle tissue. In this circumstance, far more muscle equals a speedier metabolic rate.

2. When your joints are rigid and sore you need to move them extra, not fewer. If you have sore, achy joints the past point that you could really feel like performing is transferring. In fact, relocating considerably less will cause stiffness and absence of security as the muscular tissues surrounding joints grow to be weaker, placing additional anxiety on the joint alone. Furthermore, aside from bringing lubricating synovial fluid into the joint house, exercising in itself has an analgesic (discomfort relieving) outcome that lowers common and unique suffering in the human body.

3. If you know you will be splurging with a massive celebration meal, you really should try to eat an further snack in the course of the day of, to stay away from overindulging later on on. “Saving” calories for a feast could seem like a great notion. In actuality, even so, it just usually means that you’ll be demonstrating up at supper with no willpower as your hunger drives you to take in something and all the things that appears scrumptious. By feeding on through the working day major up to the function, there is a higher prospect that you are going to be able to clearly show restraint and certainly get pleasure from only the meals that you really like in acceptable parts.

4. Sluggish down to go more rapidly. The well being and health field is infamous for “quick and effortless,” “like magic” methods to complex troubles. The guarantee to eliminate weight (or establish muscle) Rapidly with minor energy can look also great to be legitimate and irresistible for many. The challenge is that, nearly without having exception, gimmicky courses never carry about desired outcomes and when they do, the outcomes are unsustainable for anyone hoping to live a standard lifestyle. This all suggests that buyers close up again where by they commenced on the lookout for the future miracle system, squandering time and exertion. For prolonged long lasting, sustainable success, gradual and continuous essentially ends up becoming the speediest way to go.

5. Consume right before bed to melt away extra fat. A analyze from the Journal of Medication and Science in Sports activities and Physical exercise noted that athletes who ended up presented a serving of casein protein in the kind of cottage cheese as a bedtime snack improved muscle synthesis when sleeping as opposed to when they had been offered a placebo aiding them to construct muscle, speed metabolism and burn up fats additional successfully.

Wellness and health programming and goods are component of a multi-billion greenback marketplace that sells things that sounds much too good to be real, and ordinarily is way too good to be correct. Reasonable, frequent perception information, on the other hand, is typically found as currently being too tedious to be marketable particularly when it clashes with common belief. However, if you search at the fittest, strongest, healthiest and most fulfilled persons, it’s a certain wager that they are adhering to the lengthy, slow, “boring” route that often goes towards the grain of what we picture to be real. In up coming week’s column, I’ll element 5 extra things that never seem to be to make perception at initial glance.

Build a Better Breakfast With These Eggcellent Tips

Not trying to throw shade at cereal, we’ve all enjoyed a big ole’ bowl with nice, cold milk but there are quicker and better breakfast options. Remember those bowls with built-in straws so you could sip the sugar-filled milk that the cereal created? I do. It might have done your tastebuds good, but your health, not so much.

Breakfast, (Break-the-fast) is an important meal; it’s the first thing you’re feeding your body after a night of fasting while it repairs torn muscle fibers and rejuvenates cells. It’s the energy that will fuel your morning and provide your body with much-needed nutrients. For avid exercisers, this bumps your morning meal to top priority when it comes to consuming clean fuel.

End the better breakfast struggles with fit chef Joshua Bailey If you’ve struggled with putting health first at breakfast time, or aren’t really sure how to, Joshua Bailey chef and personal trainer is a breakfast-building pro who lays the groundwork for you for creating flavor-packed, nutritious morning meals.

Bailey takes pride in prioritizing making a healthy breakfast to start his day.” I always try to include a source of protein, carbohydrate, and greens, while my go-to breakfast usually consists of eggs, oatmeal, and a protein shake,” says Bailey.

“Quick breakfast options such as cereal tend to be very high in added sugar and contain absolutely no nutritional value,” he adds. That doesn’t mean you have to give it up forever, it just simply shouldn’t be your everyday meal.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t occasionally enjoy a bowl of cereal myself,” says Bailey, but try and be aware of how often you include it in your diet.

So skip the cereal, as Bailey offers several simple yet effective tips that will take all the guesswork out of building your morning fuel.

Simple Swaps, Simple Breakfasts, Simply Healthy

Building a better breakfast all comes down to incorporating simple swaps and choosing high-quality ingredients. “Making simple swaps and being conscious of what ingredients you are adding to your food when cooking can make all the difference,” says Bailey. An example of this looks like swapping pre-made sugar-filled oats with plain steel-cut oats and dressing them with healthy toppings like sliced almonds and berries. When choosing breakfast foods, “It is important to make choices based on your body and your personal goals,” Bailey says. Now, let’s get to the building.

Better Breakfast Eggs

Build a Better Breakfast With These Eggcellent Tips
Jörg Mikus / EyeEm / Getty

Protein and nutrient-packed enjoyed by millions. While the yolk hosts strong nutritional value, to lower unnecessary fat content, Bailey suggests limiting yolks, depending on how many eggs you normally consume). “I make the conscious choice to only use one egg yolk in order to eliminate unnecessary fat intake from eating eight egg yolks,” he says.

Opting for organic, free-range eggs is also a way to up your egg health. Supporting local farmers is a great way to boost your morning nutrients while supporting your community.

When cooking the eggs, try using cooking spray instead of butter, to once again avoid excess fats.

Better Breakfast Meats

Way to cook bacon for a better breakfast
Chris Clor / Getty

Because breakfast meats tend to be very high in sodium, Bailey steers clear of them and suggests you try make alternative adjustments as much as possible. If you want to include a slice of morning meat, opt for low-sodium turkey bacon instead. This way, your experience pops of flavor minus more fat, excess sodium, and calories.

If you have lean protein leftovers from dinner like chicken or steak, cubing the meat and tossing them in the pan with the eggs makes for a tasty protein addition without sacrificing health.

Better Breakfast Oatmeal

Blueberry-Oatmeal-For-Superfood-Breakfast
Vladislav Noseek / Shutterstock

Sure, those ready-made oats packed with sugar may taste delicious, but are probably not the best choice if you’ve got fitness goals to achieve (and you probably already know this. Bailey recommends eating traditional, unflavored oats topped with a small amount of brown sugar and a very light drizzle of maple syrup. This way you’re giving your tastebuds a treat without overdoing the sugar content.

A bowl of plain oats is a blank slate and there are many clean toppings at your service. Berries, nuts, nut butter, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg make for a flavorful bowl. “Oats are a complex carb that will keep you full longer and your body absorbs more nutrients from complex carbohydrates,” Bailey says. So, build your bowl with your favorite toppings and you’re good to go!

Better Breakfast Protein Shakes & Smoothies

Fit and happy girl making a smoothie with a blender
Westend61 / Getty

The fantastic thing about protein shakes and smoothies is the amount of nutrients like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals you can add to one glass. Bailey’s morning protein shake normally includes fruits and veggies which can lack in many diets.

“My go-to shake includes Strawberries, blueberries, and bananas. Spinach, peanut butter, almond milk, protein powder, and the occasional scoop of reds and greens,” Bailey says.

Depending on what you include in your shake, the drink alone could serve as a breakfast by itself. Opting for protein, fats, and carbs is the goal.

Better Breakfast Bars

Protein-Bars-With-Nuts-And-Dried-Fruit
Elena Shashkina / Shutterstock

For mornings that don’t go as planned, there are bars that are a clean, grab-and-go option. Kickstart your morning (especially when running late), with this plant-based, soft and chewy breakfast bar. With 8g of plant-based protein, BC30 probiotics to support immune health, 14g of whole grains, and 4g of prebiotic fiber, The Complete KickStart is filled with goodness to start your day off right!

Building a better breakfast will build better health. All you need to do is be diligent about consuming clean, whole ingredients while swapping out the not-so-healthy ones. One breakfast at a time.

Holiday eating stress you out? Here are some helpful tips!

Posted 29 November 2022 at 2:00 pm

Holiday eating stress you out? Here are some helpful tips!

By Chrissy Krueger RN, RD, CDN, CDCES, Diabetes Education & Care Specialist, Oak Orchard Health 

As a Diabetes Educator, at Oak Orchard Health, I hear a lot about the anxiety and stress of overeating during the holidays. Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, or another seasonal holiday, learning to eat healthy during this time can be a challenge – but you can do it. Keep in mind that each holiday represents just one day, and you can get back on your healthy meal plan the next day. 

Here are a few tips to help you get through the holidays feeling good about yourself.  

Start by preparing in advance. 

If the party is not at your home, consider asking the hostess if you can help by bringing a dish to pass. That dish will be a healthy one for you and delicious for others. That’s your “go-to” dish when you’re feeling hungry or other options are not too appealing. 

Skipping meals before the holiday dinner isn’t a good idea. 

Skipping meals can result in moodiness or irritability. For some, it can also lead to low blood sugar. You should not get yourself so hungry that you will eat anything and everything!  Try to eat regularly throughout the day, maybe smaller meals than usual, but do eat breakfast and lunch. 

Re-think the holidays. 

Why are you gathering? To be with family and friends? Sharing experiences with each other? The point is that holidays aren’t just about food. In fact, after eating your meal, avoid lingering near the holiday spread. Go into another room to mingle.  Also, consider taking a walk with someone you haven’t seen in a while. 

Avoid taking leftovers home. 

Unless a loved one was unable to attend and you want to bring them some treats, avoid bringing leftovers home. If you’re the hostess, don’t make too much food and if you do, have a plan for giving it away to your guests or a local senior center or food shelter.

Don’t give up your healthy lifestyle. 

Often people use Thanksgiving as a reason to start overeating throughout the holiday season. Try to think of each holiday as a one-day event and get back on track with your healthy habits the next day. You’ll feel better!

Heart-healthy portions. 

Whether you have diabetes or not, these are great guidelines on how to fill your plate. A good rule of thumb is that half your plate should contain non-starchy vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower, a quarter of the plate with protein, and a quarter with carbohydrates. Riced cauliflower is very popular and can be substituted for mashed potatoes – or make half the mashed potatoes with real potatoes and the other half with riced cauliflower. Your guests won’t know the difference!

Desserts.

 If you have room for dessert, try to limit your portion sizes. An eighth of a pie or 2” square of cake can be enough. If you’re going to bring a dessert, choose one that has fewer carbohydrates and sugar. People with diabetes can eat desserts but it’s all about the size of the portion. The smaller the better. 

Always carry a glass of water. 

Having a glass of water and sipping it throughout the day will help you avoid picking on food. This will also help to reduce your alcohol consumption. 

No thank you. 

Be comfortable saying no thank you when offered another portion.  Those who truly love you will not change their mind based on how much or what you eat!

Holidays are not just for eating.

 If you’re the hostess, you can plan to do something with your guests like playing games or taking a walk. Plan to have everyone step away from the table and go to another room to play a game like charades or a card game. The more active the better. 

If you do overindulge, don’t beat yourself up about it. Just get back on track. Take a walk the next day and start eating healthy again.  Remember, don’t skip meals either!

If you need help managing diabetes, are interested in nutrition and/or incorporating a healthy lifestyle, contact Oak Orchard Health and ask how to be referred to the nutrition diabetes care specialist. Happy holidays!

 

4 Tips for Damage Control After Eating Too Much

So you’ve just finished up a massive, delicious meal—but now, you have to pay the price for eating too much. When you overeat, your body may start to feel bloated and lethargic. You may even begin to experience abdominal pain and cramping. No matter what symptoms may accompany feeling stuffed, this physical discomfort can put a damper on the rest of your day.

While the best way to deal with overeating would be to avoid it by always eating in moderation, this is honestly sometimes easier said than done. When all your favorite foods are in front of you, the temptation might prove too great—especially during food-centric holidays like Thanksgiving. So, how do you avoid your eyes growing bigger than your stomach while indulging in a decadent, delicious meal?

If you find yourself overeating and more often than not feeling too full after chowing down, you’re not alone. In order to find out the best ways to healthily approach damage control after eating too much, we consulted a few dietitians to get their insight. So here are some dietitian-recommended tips to help you process your post-meal slump after eating too much—and for more dietitian-approved advice on healthy eating habits, be sure to also read 5 Best Eating Habits to Help Boost Your Metabolism, Say Dietitians.

Make sure you’re hydrating

Eating foods higher in sodium “can contribute to feeling ‘puffy’ or bloated the next day,” according to Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, who is the author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and member of our Expert Medical Board. That is why Goodson stresses the importance of making sure you stay hydrated before and after a big meal.

In addition to drinking plenty of water, you can also try boosting your hydration by adding a little something extra to your beverage.

“One thing you can do is hydrate throughout the day with water infusions, like this Apple Cider Vinegar Lemon “Detox” Drink or this Cranberry Orange Ginger “Detox” Water,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT, also known as The Nutrition Twins. “The fluid will help to restore normal hydration status as it flushes out the excess sodium, sugar, water that’s retained with them, alleviating bloat and heaviness.”

RELATED: The Best Electrolyte Drinks & Powders To Keep You Hydrated All Day

Go for a walk after your big meal

4 Tips for Damage Control After Eating Too Much
Shutterstock

One of the best things you can do for yourself to provide more immediate relief after eating too much and feeling overly full is to go for a walk after your meal.

“The walk will help clear your mind. And if you break a sweat, you can secrete some chemicals and small amounts of salt while also increasing blood flow to the brain,” says the Nutrition Twins. “You’ll burn a few extra calories while you’re at it too, which will help to offset some of the extra calories you may have consumed.”

If you’re not in the mood for a walk, Goodson has some alternative suggestions for moving your body after a heavy meal.

“You can start a friendly game of football in the backyard with family,” Goodson suggests. “Or if that doesn’t work, maybe hit the gym the next morning, or park at the back of all the parking lots when you head out to run errands.”

Get back on track with some vegetables

According to the Nutrition Twins, eating some antioxidant-rich, fiber-packed greens in your next meal can help get your body back to feeling better.

“Fiber from the greens helps push waste and toxins out of the colon, helping to keep you regular so you can quickly spring back and feel lighter,” the Nutrition Twins claim. “And the antioxidants in the green vegetables counteract some damage created from overindulging in inflammatory sugary, fatty, and highly-processed foods.”

Start the next morning with a balanced breakfast

high protein breakfast egg avocado toast
Shutterstock

One of the things you can do the day after you go a little overboard with eating is making sure you’re starting your day off with a healthy, balanced breakfast.

“The day after overeating, start with a protein and fiber-rich breakfast to get your blood sugar going in the right direction,” says Goodson. “Eggs and oatmeal or whole grain toast with peanut butter and a side of Greek yogurt are great options. This will help with feeling better throughout the day.”

Samantha Boesch

Samantha was born and raised in Orlando, Florida and now works as a writer in Brooklyn, NY. Read more about Samantha

10 fitness and nutrition tips for the holiday season

10 fitness and nutrition tips for the holiday season

Ah, Thanksgiving Week — when the holiday season really kicks into high gear. 

Of course, the pandemic put a serious crimp in most everyone’s holidays in 2020 and 2021 — but this holiday season feels more like the traditional ones of the past. 

Yes, COVID-19 remains a persistent presence — but not necessarily the overarching threat it once was. 

More ways to enjoy the holidays:Sandi, the 700-ton, 35-foot holiday sand tree, returning to West Palm Beach for the 11th year

More health:House calls: FAU gets big grant to create nurse home-visit program

Food Editor: Thanksgiving pies, restaurant picks, Oprah-approved charcuterie, doughnuts to love

So it’s perfectly understandable if you’re looking forward to enjoying your first event-filled holiday season since 2019.  

However, just in case you’re a bit out of practice when it comes to celebrating a busy holiday season while also maintaining your fitness and nutrition plans, we’ve got some suggestions to help you get through the next six weeks with both intact. 

Staying in shape 

Doing something is better than doing nothing. 

Austin Brock, certified fitness trainer and co-owner of Slash Fitness in Delray Beach recommends that you try to fit in 15 to 20 minutes of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on a cardio machine.

Austin Brock, certified trainer and co-owner of Slash Fitness in Delray Beach.

“If you don’t own a cardio machine or have access to one, any park or open area will do,” he says. 

He says elevating your heart rate to around 80{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} of your max — and sustaining it for one to three minutes if possible — is a great way to burn calories. 

“Then, follow that with lowering your heart rate to 60{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} of your max heart rate for the same amount of time,” he instructs.