EATING RIGHT AND STAYING FIT DURING THE HOLIDAYS


With the holiday season upon us many of us have visions of turkey legs, stuffing, and pecan pies dancing in our heads. Although the traditional holiday meals are tasty and gratifying, they tend to add a few unwanted inches and pounds to our bodies.
There are several measures we can take to avoid the extra inches and still enjoy the holiday feast.


•    Drink 2 cups of water 15-30 minutes before the meal. This will provide a feeling of fullness and you won’t pile your plate as high.
•    Chose portions of food no bigger than the palm of your hand.
•    Select reduced fat or fat free gravy, salad dressing and sour cream. Low fat frozen yogurt is a great substitute for ice cream and taste great on pumpkin pie!
•    Take a brisk 20-30 minute walk the morning or afternoon before the meal to turn on your fat burning engine and raise your metabolism to help burn more calories.
•    Take another walk after the meal to aid in digestion and to ward off the sleepy feeling that sets in after many a holiday meal. Make the walks a family event. REMEMBER THE HOLIDAYS SHOULD BE ABOUT FAMILY AND FELLOWSHIP NOT JUST FOOD! Walking with a partner(s) makes for good conversation, quality time with loved ones and makes the time pass quickly.
•    Serve gelatin molds.
They are low in fat and quite tasty. (low fat whip cream is good and go light on mayo if any at all)
With some slight modifications and some dedicated thought towards our health, we can enjoy our holiday meals as we always have….minus the guilt and any extra inches!