HEALTH & WELLNESS
Healthy lifestyle tips for the holidays
Maintaining a healthy weight — and trying not to gain weight
break or meeting. Make a promise to yourself that you’ll
— during the holidays can be challenging. Holiday parties and
wait instead and savor every bite of those delicious hol-
family gatherings present special challenges when it comes to
iday treats.
eating healthy, often threatening to railroad your best-inten-
• Save the best for last! Being mindful of what you’re eat-
tioned plans to try not to gain weight during
ing during the holidays doesn’t mean you have
the season. A good goal for this time of year is HEALTHY LIVING TIPS FROM to deprive yourself of holiday goodies—just
to savor the holiday moments — without re-
save them for last, eating those healthy salads,
gretting having overindulged after the season
crunchy vegetables and fruits first.
has passed.
•
If you already have an exercise sched-
With just a little planning, you can still enjoy
ule,
don’t
throw it out the window during the
goodies and parties without worrying about gaining weight or
busy
holidays.
With
stressors in abundance, emotional
the toll on your heart! And you’ll be doing yourself a favor by
eating
—
binging
on
unhealthy foods — can derail your
setting your goal on weight maintenance, while still savoring
good intentions. But did you know that exercise can be
great-tasting foods. Try these tested tips to help keep you on
an extremely effective stress reliever? Try taking the stairs
track during holiday celebrations:
instead of the elevator, parking a little farther from the
• Grab a healthy snack to eat before leaving home — this
store to add more steps in your day or pick up the pace
reduces your risk of overeating at the party.
• Be in control. Have your plan in mind before you enter
while you’re shopping.
the room — decide ahead of time to check out the buffet
• Plan to stroll around the block after that wonderful din-
or salad bar first. Then look around, deciding what and
ner — or even before enjoying it.
how much you’ll eat.
Remember: Every good thing you do for your health —
• Be aware of your portions—if you really want to have
each healthier choice in the moment — adds up to a better
something offering little nutritional value, then just limit
quality of life.
your intake of it. You can enjoy less — maybe a half-cup
For an appointment with a Deborah specialist or more informa-
of eggnog or a dollop of rich gravy — and still savor all the
tion about how Deborah Heart and Lung Center’s leading-edge
delicious flavors.
technologies can improve your quality of life, call 800-555-1990,
• Avoid mindless eating—don’t squander precious calories
on something stale, store-bought or blah during a coffee
option 4 or visit www.demanddeborah.org.
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ DECEMBER 2018