Top Five Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

We tend to associate holidays with taking a break from work, spending fun evenings with loved ones and giving and receiving gifts. A lot of folks also worry about gaining weight thanks to the heavy meals that go hand in hand with such festive occasions. But the truth is that, on average, people only gain about one pound between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Nevertheless, it’s important to err on the side of caution because our health is a precious gift we must not take for granted. urSTORE has five tips to help you fend off weight gain this holiday season.

1. Spread out your portions.
It’s especially difficult not to eat a big serving of all your favorite food. Believe it or not, the most important holiday healthy eating hack is to control your portions and their frequency. No matter how busy you’re shopping for gifts or decorating your home, make it a point never to miss a meal.

2. Eat more.
Yes, we said it. Eating more of the right kinds of food will satiate your hunger and reduce cravings that lead to binge-eating. If you find yourself in situations where all the food options are “unhealthy” or “fattening” it helps to pack a snack with you. Don’t be shy to bite on a granola bar while you’re friends eat French fries or some other oily bites.

3. Limit the drinks.
Drinks can be one of the most high-calorie items in a meal. If you can replace alcohol or any other type of beverage with water, you will easily cut 300-500 calories (taking refills into account). By the same token, you should drink lots of water throughout the day. Being that water is calorie-free, it doesn’t add to your calorie intake plus keeps your body hydrated.

4. Mix it up.
Ensure you have a balanced diet by checking how colorful your serving is. You can do this by taking a step back from the dinner table and gauge what your options are. Veggies and fruits tend to add colour (as well as essential nutrients) to one’s diet so the more colorful your plate, the healthier you’re eating (assuming there is no food die in the mix). .

5. Count the calories.
This is the only time of the year when we would recommend counting the calories of every item you eat or at the very least have an idea of how many calories each item you’re eating has so that if you’re eat one huge meal then you can take it easy on the next meal.

Bonus Tip: Check out healthy eating hacksS and recipes in this holiday healthy guide by none other than the American Heart Association.