Life University Staff Council Newsletter Volume 8 Isssue 4 | Page 9

LIFE-Steps to
Wellness
The holidays are a great time to enjoy family, friends and food. The season is filled with parties, large dinners and wonderful treats. This
makes it difficult to maintain our healthy eating habits and keep off unwanted pounds. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,
Americans gain approximately one to two pounds during the holiday season. This may not sound like much, but it can add up over the years
and can lead to ongoing unhealthy habits.
Some strategies that allow us to indulge in the festivities without going overboard include prioritizing food, eating mindfully and employing
moderation. Filling up on healthy foods first, like eating a salad before dinner and choosing to fill up on nutrient rich foods first, can help to
limit amounts of less than healthy foods consumed in a meal. Remember that fiber-rich foods are more filling. Eating slowly and mindfully
can not only help you to enjoy your food, but can also help you to realize when you are getting full. Remember, moderation is key - go ahead
and have the bread and dessert, but use a smaller plate and savor every bite!
Remember that it is OK to indulge occasionally, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you slip up. Just remember that too much holiday
cheer can lead to some not so fun New Year’s resolutions in the months to come! 
The Harvard Health Blog offers these 12 Healthy tips for Holiday Eating:
1. B
 udget food choices wisely — eating
healthier foods first.
2. T
ake 10 before going for seconds — take
a ten-minute break before going back for
more. Drink some water and evaluate if your
appetite is satisfied.
3. P
 ut some distance between yourself and the
buffet — this helps you to be mindful of what
you are eating and how much.
4.  Don’t start out hungry — eat something
healthy to fill up before you are tempted.
5. D
 rink water first — fill up on water to reduce
how much wine, beer or soda you are
tempted to drink.
6. D
 on’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach —
7.  Remember to move — take a walk, do a
dance, get some exercise!
8. E
 at your veggies — fill up on the good
stuff first.
9. S
 talk the buffet — check out the options first
before piling your plate.
10. D
 on’t shop hungry — eat before holiday
shopping to avoid tempting food court
treats.
11. C
 ook from (and for) the heart — choose
healthy fats while preparing dishes.
12.  Remember what really matters during the
holiday season — focus on family, friends
and fun.
this will increase your appetite.
Tech Tips To Multitask, or Not to Multitask
One of the biggest mistaken notions of the technology age is that people can be efficient
multitaskers. Sadly, it simply isn’t true, yet the temptation to try is almost irresistible as we grow
increasingly dependent on (and even addicted to) the technology available to us. There are also
some rewards built into some of our technological distractions, such as likes and comments for our
posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and so on. Even just the telephone and email can distract us
from settling down and focusing in on the most productive way to work: doing one thing at a time.
Clearly, a lot of people will disagree vehemently and claim they can do multiple things at the
same time and, in reality, that simply isn’t true – at least, not without a cost. What they’re really
doing is background tasking or switch tasking. And, when it comes to productivity, the fact is,
our attempts to multitask mean that the time it takes to do tasks goes up, the quality goes down
and our stress levels rise. So, if you need a demonstration, please visit Dave Crenshaw, author
of The Myth of Multitasking, and do the exercise he provides here: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=BCeGKxz3Q8Q And, happy monotasking! 
LIFE AT LIFE VOL 8. Issue 4
9