With Thanksgiving and the holiday season to follow fast approaching, it’s a good chance to remind yourself some best practices to stay as healthy as you can during a time of joy and family fun.
As usual, exercise is paramount and eating the right foods with the right portions is important. But what are the best ways to go about this and ways to do it without feeling guilty about enjoying the holidays?
Baystate Franklin Medical Center dietician Alicia Walter offered up a handful of health tips to keep you feeling good about yourself and your choices for Thanksgiving and the weeks to follow.
As the weather continues to creep closer to routinely hanging around freezing temperatures, it can be easier to hang out with the couch.
Walter wants to remind people that now is the time that you should find even more time to exercise than usual. If you can increase your physical activity, whatever it may be, then you can carry less guilt with you to the holiday table.
“We should always try to make exercising a priority,” Walter said. “If you’re exercising throughout the holiday season, then you’re ahead of the eight ball.”
For those who already have a routine, Walter recommends trying to extend the duration of your workout during this time of the year.
“But if you can’t keep up your routine … you can capture your little moments here and there,” Walter said, acknowledging that holiday time can throw you off of your norms, but carving out healthy moments is valuable, whenever you can.
The dietician and nutritionist suggested that the holidays can be a good time to exercise as a family, as well.
“Paying attention to what you’re eating and exercising more is pretty much a winning formula during the holidays,” Walter said.
The basics of eating healthier during the holidays come down to portion control and, whenever possible, choosing ingredients that can cut down on fats and carbs.
The problem with that philosophy can be that it can feel restricting for people, Walter noted. The nutritionist, of course, recommended for people to choose whole grains and find opportunities to eat vegetables, whenever possible; use olive oil or canola oil instead of butter; try plain yogurt or fat-free sour cream for dips; surround the turkey with vegetables to create a healthier gravy option.
But Walter did not deny that the holidays are a time where it can be a chance to enjoy specialty dishes.
“This (time of year) is about you and your time with your family,” Walter said. “What it means for you is pretty important. A lot of people get caught up in the feeling that people are watching them and what they’re eating and acting as the food police. We’re policing ourselves, so if we think other people are policing us, it just takes away the joy.”
Instead, Walter says to come into a holiday meal with a plan and to be mindful in your eating choices. Know what dish you might indulge in beforehand, like a pie or a side dish, and be aware of how much might be too much.
She also warned against a mentality of not eating earlier in the day so that you can eat more during the Thanksgiving meal. This can lead to overeating, Walter said. Rather, eat like you normally would, so that at the meal, you eat a normal amount, as well.
As for anyone who may be a vegetarian or vegan? Walter said that it can be a trying time. She said to approach the time knowing it might be difficult to be a total purist to your eating guidelines, but to find the dishes that might be best for you. If you aren’t the one cooking for the holiday, Walter recommends bringing a dish with you that you would be comfortable eating.
Most importantly, Walter said to remember that the holidays are a time to spend with your family and to focus on that element to help avoid some of the guilt that may come along with potentially stuffing yourself.
“You can just change your mindset a little bit, and just walk away from the table saying that ‘Wow, I just had a wonderful meal and wonderful conversation,’” Walter said.
Have a health tip for Joshua Solomon?
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