It’s hard to keep the extra weight off during the holiday season; especially, when you are tempted by ‘comfort food’ or foods high in calories, like sweets and desserts. Here are a few quick tips that will help you from gaining those extra pounds.
- Eat a healthy breakfast. Research shows that those who eat this important morning meal tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. What’s a healthy breakfast? Click here to find out.
- Do not skip meals throughout the day. You’ll miss out on important nutrients and if you wait too long between meals, it may result in overeating.
- Include lots of fiber in your diet by eating fruits, vegetables and high quality, low glycemic index whole grains. High-fiber foods are high in volume and will satisfy hunger but are lower in calories. Examples include apples, carrots, oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and grapefruit. To view a list of high fiber foods, click here.
- Don’t eat large portions of food. To keep the portions small, use a smaller plate and fill it with mostly nutrient rich foods and less of the sweets. For tips on portion control, click here.
- Incorporate exercise into your daily activities. Between work, gift shopping, attending parties, and everything else that comes into play during the holidays, who has time to go to the gym? Click here to learn some exercise tips.
References:
American Dietetic Association, Eatright.org, “Have Your Diet and Eat Cake Too!”, December 2010
http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442460011
National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus.com
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/patientinstructions/000193.htm
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_106048.html
American Diabetes Association, Diabetesarchive.net
http://www.diabetesarchive.net/food-nutrition-lifestyle/lifestyle-prevention/weight-loss/food-and-portion-size.jsp