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Ways to eat, snack healthy
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The staff at Health 1st offers suggestions on how to cook and eat healthy during the holidays.
Cooking
Use non-stick cookware so you can cook with a minimum of oil or vegetable oil spray.
For flavor enhancer, sprinkle food with vinegar or citrus juice at the last minute so flavor is strongest.
Substitute chopped vegetables for some of the bread in your stuffing recipe.
Use half the sugar the recipe calls for or use a healthier alternative such as honey, maple syrup or agave nectar.
Swap applesauce or prune juice for oil or butter.
Use an egg substitute instead of whole eggs.
Try low-fat or nonfat milk products instead of whole milk products.
Use plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream.
Serve fat-free sorbet instead of ice cream.
Cut down on the sugar and fat by altering your recipes and what you eat.
Eating
Seek out healthy snacks like roasted almonds, fruit or low-fat yogurt.
Drink water instead of sugary juices and soft drinks.
If you are going to a holiday meal, offer to bring something and make it a healthy dish.
Keep portion sizes small by putting your snacks on a small plate instead of a large one.
Wait 20 minutes before getting another plate of food from the buffet.
You may find that you’re satisfied and don’t want anymore food.
Don’t hover around the buffet to avoid eating more than you intended.
If you are hosting a holiday party, try serving healthy portions instead of providing a buffet.
Don’t arrive hungry. Eating a healthy snack before a meal can help you
eat less and will keep you from filling up on unhealthy snacks and
sweets.
Allow for indulgences. Be realistic. Eat small portions of your favorite holiday indulgences. Balance and moderation is the key.
Fitness
Encourage your family to maintain daily exercise. Walk around your
neighborhood after dinner to look at holiday lights or go for a morning
walk or jog. Walk your dog, and if you don’t have one, offer to walk
your friend’s or neighbor’s dog.
During the holidays, it can be hard to find 30 minutes or an hour in a
day to exercise, but 10 minutes here and there can do the trick.
When you go to grandma’s house or the mall, park farther away to allow for a short walk.
Enjoy the outdoors and go for a hike.
If the weather doesn’t permit, take up fitness indoors.
Nov. 21, 2008
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