 Healthy Holidays!The holiday season is a time of festivities, fun and lots of good food. But it can also be a challenging time if you’re watching your waistline. And that’s particularly important when you suffer from joint discomfort, because additional weight means additional strain on your joints. But you don’t have to skip all the celebrations just to stay on track. With a little planning and preparation, it’s easy to have a healthy, happy holiday season. Here are some tips to help you do just that.Fill Up On Nutrition-Rich Foods It’s a lot easier to overindulge on an empty stomach. That’s why it’s so important to keep your kitchen stocked with healthy, nutritious foods, not only during the holidays but year-round. Make sure you have plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein on hand at all times. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are low in calories but rich in fiber, which is extremely filling. Plus, they’re chockfull of essential vitamins and minerals. Lean sources of protein like fish are another good choice because protein helps stave off hunger longer than many other foods. They’re also loaded with healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart health and joint health. We also recommend supplementing the healthy fats you get from your diet with Schiff® MegaRed® Omega-3 Krill Oil. Just one small softgel of MegaRed® helps promote cardiovascular health.* It contains oil from pure Antarctic krill, tiny crustaceans that thrive in the frigid waters of the Antarctic. MegaRed® provides an optimal combination of omega-3 fatty acids, phospholipids and critical antioxidants to support heart health. And there’s no fishy aftertaste. Be Prepared In addition to keeping lots of healthy foods on hand during the holidays, it helps to plan ahead. We recommend making some healthy meals in advance and freezing them so you’ll have some simple options for nights when you’re too busy to cook. And since it’s even harder to watch what you eat when you’re away from home, plan accordingly. Bring a balanced lunch to work each day and keep plenty of healthy snacks stashed at the office. And on those days when you know you’re going to be shopping or running errands the whole day, don’t fall into the fast food trap. Take along some fruit and nuts or a protein bar to stave off any hunger pangs while you’re out and about. Plan Your Party Strategy ‘Tis the season for parties, parties and still more parties. And that can be daunting when you’re watching what you eat. But with a little planning, it’s easy to celebrate and have fun without overdoing it.
Make Time for Exercise It’s easy to find excuses not to work out at this time of year. But now is the time when you need exercise the most. Staying active during the holidays will help to keep your muscles and joints strong while offsetting those extra holiday calories and warding off seasonal stress. Plus, it’s a lot easier to maintain an exercise routine than it is to start all over in January. If you’re especially busy and can’t find a solid hour to work out, try working in short bursts of exercise throughout the day. For example, if you’re going to the mall, park as far away from the entrance as possible and take the stairs instead of the escalator. When wrapping presents, take breaks every 15 minutes or so to stretch and move around. And instead of hiring someone to shovel the snow in your driveway, do it yourself. You’ll save money and get a great workout at the same time. While you’re focused on eating right and exercising regularly, remember to take care of your joints by taking Move Free® Advanced; it actually improves joint health. While products that contain Glucosamine and Chondroitin alone can take up to four to six weeks to start working, Move Free® Advanced starts comforting sore joints in less than seven days.** And it’s clinically tested. Lighten Up Your Favorite Holiday Fare Rather than forgoing your favorite holiday foods altogether, look for ways to make them lighter. That way, you can have your pumpkin pie and eat it too. Here are just a few ways to slim down your holiday recipes:
For more detailed tips on making your holiday recipes healthier, consult your favorite recipe sites. And when substitutions just won’t work, make the recipe as you normally would, but cut the portions in half. Keep Track of Your Calories The best way to keep your calorie intake under control is to track it. That means writing down everything you eat throughout the day and keeping a running calorie count. A food diary can be especially helpful during the holidays, when it’s easy to lose track of how much you’ve eaten if you’re not careful. It’s also a good tool for “budgeting” your calories for parties and other events. If you know you’re going to attend a holiday get-together in the evening, watch what you eat throughout the day to help offset the calorie splurge later on. Create Some Healthy Traditions By incorporating some good habits into your seasonal celebrations, your whole family can have a healthier holiday. One way to do this is by doing something active as a family. For example, spend some time walking around the neighborhood to look at the holiday decorations. Or set aside a day to go volunteer at a soup kitchen or other local charity. There are lots of ways you can spend time together as a family that don’t revolve around eating. And if you just can’t resist baking this season, give away most of the treats you make as gifts so you won’t be tempted to overindulge. Be Realistic This isn’t the best time of year to try to lose five pounds. Instead, concentrate on maintaining your current weight. While it’s a good idea to watch what you eat during the holidays, it’s also not realistic to deprive yourself of your favorite foods altogether. It’s all about moderation. So give yourself permission to have fun and enjoy yourself, but just don’t overdo it. *May reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Supportive, but not conclusive research shows that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. **Independent human clinical study (Los Angeles, 2008). |
