Week One: Eat Well

Welcome to the first week of Healthy Lifestyle's Healthy Holidays program!  The holidays can be a difficult time for many when it comes to healthy eating. With holiday parties, family gatherings, and food always in abundance, it can be difficult to eat well and control portion size. You should enjoy your holiday season, but not at the expense of your health. Below are some tips on healthy eating during the holidays as well as a list of challenges to track on your tracker sheet:

• Eat a small meal before a party or gathering. This will help you from over-stuffing yourself.
• Don't skip breakfast and/or lunch to make room for big holiday dinner. Doing this slows your metabolism and causes you to overeat.
• When preparing food, look for healthy alternatives to food. In baked goods use apple sauce instead of oil or use the low-fat version of sour cream.
• Avoid drinking your calories. Eat in moderation high-sugar, high calorie punches and sodas. Drink water, herbal teas, or low sugar drink mixes.
• Eat smaller portions of food. This is especially important at a buffet, where you may want to try everything. Choose the items you want to try the most, and eat a small portion of each.
• Eat slowly. Many times, people eat so fast that their stomachs don't have enough time to register that they are full. Savor each bite and enjoy the taste of the food-chances are you will eat less.
• After a meal, go for a walk with your family to see holiday displays in your neighborhood.
• Offer to bring a low-calorie dish to holiday parties. Your host might appreciate it, and you'll know that at least one healthy item will be on hand.
• Don't park yourself in front of the buffet at a party. Mingle! If you stand by the buffet, you'll eat more than you would if it was across the room.
• Pass up fast food. The holiday season can keep you on the go with little time to prepare meals. Fast food may be handy, but often is high in fat. Prepare and freeze quick, healthy meals ahead of time to stay out of the fast food trap.
• Be realistic. Don't try to diet during the holidays; just aim to maintain your present weight.
• (For more information and tips on healthy holiday eating click here.)

Week One Challenges:
Pick one of the following challenges to work on throughout the week. Choose something that is individual and challenging. Remember to track if you completed the challenge on your tracker sheet each day.

• Write down a "Healthy Promise" to yourself to work on throughout the Holidays. It can be anything from using portion control to managing stress. Make a "Healthy Promise" that is relevant and individual. Begin working on it this week (completing this challenge once will count for the whole week).
• Consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables everyday this week.
• Substitute a traditional Holiday recipe or everyday dish for a "healthified" recipe. **What is Healthified? It is replacing ingredients of traditional dishes with great-tasting alternatives to create better-for-you recipes that are just as yummy as the originals. Check out a few of the examples under the recipes section. For more recipes visit eatbetteramerica.com (completing this challenge once will count for the whole week).
• A great way to help with portion control is to increase your awareness of your body's hunger and fullness signals. On Thanksgiving Day rate your hunger before you eat and again right after you eat on the Hunger/Satiety Scale which can be found by clicking here. How hungry were you at the beginning of the meal? Did you eat past the feeling of fullness? How do you feel after you eat?
• Pass up fast food this week and limit eating out (sit down restaurants) to one time this week.

Take some time to watch the fun and informative videos below.

Post Title : Week One: Eat Well

Week One: Eat Well,

Eat Well,

Week One: Eat Well