We are almost halfway through December!  I don’t know about you, but it feels like the holidays are flying by!  Have you taken some time to think about your health and well being in the last few weeks? Or last couple of months for that matter?  It’s easy to get caught up in focusing on all of the other demands in life and thinking about everyone else this time of year, and stop thinking about yourself and your health. 

It may seem impossible to add one more thing to your plate during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, but it’s important to keep up with healthy eating now, and not just put off your health until the new year. I’ve been counting down the days until Christmas with one nutrition or health tip every day. If you’re on my e-mail list, you’ve already been getting these tips, but I want to share some of them here as well so everyone can get in a healthier mindset for the holidays! Here are the first 5 of my healthy holiday tips:

1. Use smaller plates at meals.  You'll eat less even though it feels like you ate the same amount because a smaller plate makes your portions look bigger – and if you’re throwing a party, have some smaller plates available for guests to help them eat better too if they wish to do so.
2. Slow down and savor – eat slowly and you will almost always end up eating less! It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to signal your brain that there’s enough food in there. If you’re a fast eater, try eating with your non-dominant hand – it will automatically make you pay more attention to your food and slow down.
3. Eat special food on special occasions, not every day. We’re now in the month of cookie exchanges, holiday treat gift-giving, and random sugary snack foods in the break room at work. It’s okay to indulge on the actual day of the holidays you celebrate, but try not to go crazy on all the other days during the holiday season. Each one of those little treats can add up very fast, so be selective!
4. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and help avoid cravings. We often mistake thirst for hunger, causing us to overeat when our body actually needs more water. Most of us don't get nearly enough water into our day. To determine how much water your body needs, take your weight in pounds and divide that by 2. That will tell you about how many ounces of water you need each day, not counting exercise. For example: 175 pound person / 2 = about 88 ounces of water per day To tell how many cups that is, divide the ounces by 8.  So, 88 ounces / 8 = 11 cups of water each day!
5. Chew gum while you cook to stop the random snacking and "taste-testing." You'll avoid eating a suprising amount of extra calories, and actually be hungry when dinnertime comes!

If you’d like to get more tips like these delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for my e-mail list at the very top of this page or on the sidebar.

Happy Eating!

~Amber

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