Cookies, Cakes and Pies – Oh my!
As the holiday season creeps up and dreams of sugarplums dance in my head, I’m seriously concerned about the health of my waistline. Who can resist all of the sweet and delectable treats that are available during the holiday season? Do I really have to give up my mom’s special wedding cake cookies? Or my aunt’s famous white chocolate raspberry cheesecake?
Not necessarily.
I spoke with one of our wellness folks here at Priority Health and she gave me some great tips to get through the holidays and still enjoy my favorite treats. Here are just a few tips, that I wanted to share with you:
- Have a snack. Before going to any holiday party, make sure to have a healthy snack before you go. You’ll be less likely to overeat any of those sweet treats.
- Watch your drinks. Drinking a lot of alcohol not only adds a lot of empty calories to your diet, it often can lead to you eating more food then you would otherwise.
- Keep moving. Make one of your holiday activities an active one. After dinner go for a walk, or encourage your family to have a dance party. It’s a great way to add to your holiday festivities.
- Hold a party clutch. This tip cracks me up, but it kind of makes sense. If you are holding a purse at a holiday party, it only leaves you one hand, so you can’t pile up your plate at the party. And hey, who doesn’t mind the excuse of going out to buy a new, trendy purse to match your holiday outfit?
- Load up on the veggies. I’m sure you have heard this before, but veggies are key. They are lower in calories and contain a lot of fiber that will fill you up quickly. It’s a tried and true method for avoiding the holiday weight gain.
- Make a game of it. Challenge your family or coworkers to see who can maintain their weight for the holidays. The winner could earn a few extra dollars or the annual white elephant gift.
Well, I plan to use a few of these ideas during the holiday season, to keep my waistline in check. I hope you can steal a few ideas to use for you and your family too!
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marandatv
I am a Senior Communications Consultant for Priority Health, and have worked in health care for more than 8 years. I graduated from Grand Valley State University with degrees in health science and communications. I’m fortunate that in my role at Priority Health, I have access to a number of talented professionals including experts in general health, health benefits, wellness, nutrition and fitness. On the personal side, I was born and raised in northern Michigan. I am a new mom who is learning a lot about parenthood and balancing work and life.