The holiday season can be the most difficult season to stay on track with your health goals. Not only is your calendar packed full of events, dinners, and parties, which can make it difficult to stay active, but food temptation lies around every corner. Work, home, nowhere is safe from cookies, treats, and baked goods.
There has to be a way to not totally derail your health goals this holiday season. Below, we’ve compiled a few tips from trainers and nutritionists to help you stay on track while still enjoying your holidays.
Portions. No one wants to deprive themselves of all the yummy food our friends and families make. After all, what kind of holiday would that be? The best way to get through all of the yummy food this holiday season is to keep portions in mind. Smaller portions means you can try a little bit of everything, and you won’t leave feeling deprived.
Steps. While it can be difficult to get your workouts in when you have a packed schedule, there’s always time to get your steps in. Next time you go to work or go shopping, take the stairs instead of the elevator, and choose a farther parking spot. If you have the option of walking versus driving, take it. These steps will help you maintain an active lifestyle during the busy holiday season.
Choices. The most important thing you can do this holiday season to stay on track with your health goals is to make good choices. If you know you’re planning on having dessert later, don’t have any cookies in the break room at work. Choose to carve out some time for yourself to get your work out in. These choices will add up at the end of the season.
Happy holidays!
Tag Archives: health tips
Health benefits of coffee
Do you enjoy your coffee? If so, you may be reaping some health benefits you’re unaware of.
The coffee bean has been around for centuries. And there’s good reason. Throughout the history of the world, coffee has been enjoyed by various cultures for various reasons. The most popular being the belief it had healing powers and the valued energy-boost to complete hard tasks.
Modern coffee drinkers enjoy it for the taste, the effects, the social aspects, and of course for the wake-up effects. Lots of research has been done on coffee. Focuses of research has been confirming long-held beliefs about coffee and finding any additional benefits or harms.
PROS
The caffeine boost helps you feel awake and energized, helping you get through your activities.
It’s good for the digestive system. Coffee helps move things alone keeping your tummy happy and healthy.
It boosts the metabolism. Caffeine is not only an appetite suppressor but a metabolism booster as well. Many individuals with health goals or weight loss goals incorporate coffee into their eating plan.
It’s a healthy alternative to alcohol. In our society, friends gather around food, alcohol, and coffee. Alcohol comes with high sugar and calories, and is often paired with carbohydrates. Coffee is a calorie-free alternative that is healthier and safer on the body.
CONS
It can raise your pulse. Any intake of caffeine can raise your pulse. Keep this in mind if you’re prone to a rapid heartbeat.
Coffee can keep you from sleeping. Too much caffeine can mean little-no sleep. Make sure to not consume any caffeine within 8 hours of sleep.
Could drinking alcohol be setting your health goals back?
Its no surprise to anyone with a health or fitness goal that alcohol is difficult to factor in. Alcoholic drinks are often high in calories, sugar, and carbohydrates. But does having a health or fitness goal mean you have to skip out on the alcohol all the time?
There’s no getting around the facts. High calories, high sugar content, and high carbohydrate intake are not conducive to a healthy diet or weight loss. In addition to the nutrition label, alcohol actually stalls your metabolism, so it can in fact set your health goals back.
That being said, life is about balance. And we know you work hard to maintain your health. That’s why we’ve compiled these tips on how to choose the healthiest alcoholic beverage when you’re out. Here’s how you can incorporate the occasional alcoholic beverage without derailing the healthy lifestyle you worked so hard for.
Go light. If you have to drink beer, go for the lighter alternative. Light beers, while they may not taste as good, can have just a fraction of the calories and/or carbohydrates.
Get back to the basics. Straight alcohol isn’t for everyone, its definitely an acquired taste. There’s a reason sugary drinks are the norm.. they taste better! That being said, straight alcohol has far fewer calories than their sugary counterparts. So if you can stomach it, skip the juice and soda mixers. Try a vodka soda or tequila on the rocks. You may surprise yourself.
Just have one or two. Stopping after just one or two drinks not only helps cut down on the calories, sugar, and carbs, it helps eliminate the hangover the next day too. Bonus! If you’re not ready to go home after one, but don’t want to hang with friends empty-handed, switch to a diet soda or sparkling water. You’ll still feel included and your friends won’t be the wiser.
