Healthy Holidays

Lets take a moment to appreciate spending time with family and friends, and being thankful for the things we have in life. With that being said, you already know the pitfalls of sitting around and eating while watching sports, however, there are dangers to hanging around with your loved ones, shacked up during chilly weather. THOSE CALORIES! Here are some good tips to abide by during the "eating season".

DRINK WATER: Often times the human thirst mechanism gets so weak, our body signals hunger when it really needs water. The body is 2/3 water so it is essential to get in lots of fluids especially when exercising regularly. When you don't get water, dehydration leads to all sorts of health malfunctions as well as decreased performance. Try a tall glass of water with some lemon (alkalizing) to give your body what it likely needs. Drink about 10-15 minutes before your meal and you'll feel just how hungry you really are.

USE A SMALLER PLATE: Instead of grabbing the huge serving tray with the raised edges for optimal food-piling, try using a smaller dish, like the ones designed to be used under a bowl. Decreasing the plate only an inch or two can decrease your total food consumption by up to 30%. Humans like to see a clean plate. If you are using a smaller one, your are less likely to over eat and go up for seconds.

EAT LARGER MEALS EARLIER IN THE DAY: If you are going to have a larger family meal, make it earlier rather than later. Eating too close to bedtime gives your body less of a chance of utilizing the extra calories you are consuming. This does not mean you get to pig out on leftovers later on in the evening. Have a nice meal and make it a late afternoon "feast" rather than a late night gorge.

FOCUS ON PROTEIN: In the grand scheme of things, calories are calories. Yet obviously 6 oz of turkey breast is better than the same calories of chocolate chip cookie. If you focus your eating on protein first, chances are you will fill up more with substantial calories rather than the empty processed ones. Even better, add salad and vegetables to your plate as the fibrous food will give you more of a "full" feeling keeping your eating at a limit.

PLEASE, DON'T PASS THE SALT: Most of the food you or your family will make has plenty of sodium already. Do not add to the disaster by adding more. Along with salt comes excess bloating from water retention. You need to shed the accessories of your food in order to reap the rewards. Most initial weight loss comes from water weight. Skip that first step and keep the salt minimal to not blow up over the holidays.