Southwest Florida's Health and Wellness Magazine Health and Wellness Articles
Have you ever imagined a holiday season that actually whittled your waistline? Don’t wait until resolution time to get started. Making these changes to your seasonal routine can get you on the path to better health today.
Eat Your Meals Earlier. Make it a point not to eat dinner past 7:00p.m. in the evening. When food is consumed too late in the day, there is no time to burn it off. Your body turns carbohydrates into sugar for energy. However, when you are done with your day, and there is no energy expended, your body produces fat cells to store the “energy” to be used for later; and even the best of us can say fat is harder to get rid of once its already there. If you have circumstances where it is necessary to eat later, dwindle the sizes of your meals as the day goes on. Make breakfast the largest meal so your body stays fuller longer and has more time to burn it off.
Use Whole Foods. This may take some trial and error, however it can go a long way towards shedding the weight over the season. Think about some of your favorite sauces you buy from the store. Lets take for example, Alfredo sauce. When you read through the ingredients, there will be milk and cream. There will also be a laundry list of ingredients that follows with chemical names you can’t pronounce, added sugars, and more often than not, high fructose corn syrup. Instead, grab a sauce pan and melt some real butter and a white cheese in some olive oil. Stir in a dash of creamer and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. This is a much healthier way of making your pasta that does not involve all of the mystery chemicals that love to store in your fat cells. With a little experimentation, you can create your favorite food enhancers with simple ingredients that are quick and, lets be honest, always taste better.
Enjoy your Holiday. The keyword there being “day”. Several of us enjoy having a little treat everyday, not realizing this will actually add on more pounds over time than having a larger cheat meal once every few days. Christmas is a day meant to be enjoyed with friends and family and, of course, food! So give yourself a break. Don’t spend the Holiday stressing over calories and make it a conscious plan to relax and have fun. Then, get right back on that healthy horse. Keeping bowls of Christmas candy in plain sight around the house for two months can devastate your best efforts. So send off the leftovers, avoid the lingering of brightly colored candy wrappers, and by all means, have a very Merry Christmas!
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