11 Holiday Healthy-Eating Tips From A Registered Dietitian

Here's how to enjoy yourself without overdoing it this season.

By Jessica Jones, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.E.

Ah, the holidays. As a registered dietitian, this time of year gives my patients the most anxiety. Endless options of food for the whole family can make it easy to overeat. Here are my top 11 tips to enjoying yourself in a balanced way this holiday season.

1. Bring on the vegetables.

As a dietitian, vegetables are kinda my jam, so I have to plug them wherever I can. It's also tough to make "half of your plate" vegetables if there are no actual vegetables being served at your holiday dinner. Consider bringing a dish of non-starchy veggies to the festivities. If you need ideas, we have tons here, but my fave is this mouthwatering Brussels sprouts recipe (with four variations for the win).

2. And eat those vegetables...first.

While we're on the subject of veggies, a lot of my patients find it helpful to eat them first. This means before you enjoy the roasted turkey, glazed ham, savory stuffing, and sweet potato pie, have a serving of the vegetable dish you brought to the party. Why? This makes sure that you actually eat the vegetables (before getting full). And because vegetables tend to be high in nutrients and fiber—a winning combination for overall health.

3. Definitely savor each bite.

We all know the importance of eating slowly and waiting before going for seconds, mainly because it takes 20+ minutes for your brain to get the signal that you're actually full. As a food enthusiast, I get super excited when I first set my sights on any holiday feast. Remember to pace yourself. By savoring every delicious bite, you're more likely to take your time and stop when you've had enough.

4. Ask yourself “Am I still enjoying this?”

Whenever you are not sure if you are overeating, one question I recommend my patients ask at different points throughout the meals is, "Am I still enjoying this?" If the answer is yes, then consider continuing to eat. If the answer is no, you also have the option to take a break and then reevaluate the need for more later. Some of my patients may even set a timer for 30 minutes and then see if they are up for more when the timer goes off.

5. And do not skip meals.

Again, this is a popular strategy for holiday eating. Skipping breakfast and lunch to "save" all of your calories for dinner typically leads to overeating. Instead, have a balanced breakfast (this green smoothie is a goldmine) and enjoy a satisfying lunch the day of the event.

6. Eat what you love.

Most of us find it extremely easy to eat something just because it's there. Try to be picky at your holiday dinner. Focus on only eating the foods you absolutely love, and skip the foods you are "meh" about. Also, don't eat something just because it's a holiday food—if eggnog doesn't excite you, skip it.

7. Try alternating between water and alcohol.

If you're going to drink, try to alternate between water and alcohol to minimize intake and stay hydrated. You can also seriously slash your alcohol calories by using seltzer water as a mixer for hard liquor.

8. And resist the urge to fall into a food coma.

How do you do this? Get your walk on. That's right, walking is one of the healthiest habits you can have during the holidays, especially after a big meal. There are a bunch of studies that say taking a brisk 15- to 20-minute walk after a meal can help ease digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels. Read more about the benefits here.

9. Make physical activity a thing the day of.

In addition to walking, consider incorporating winter physical activities into your holiday festivities. Sledding and ice skating two ways to stay active that the whole fam can enjoy. For those of you the cooler states, shoveling snow can be another great way to get those muscles working.

10. Enjoy dessert, and be mindful while doing it.


Dessert is a beautiful thing. (Especially our moist chocolate olive oil cake.) There will likely be endless assortments of cakes, cookies, pies, and ice cream at your holiday meal. Have some. Enjoy it. If you want to taste every dessert in attendance, consider having a small sampling of each. You can also whip up these no-sugar-added mini sweet potato and berry pies, which are nothing short of amaaaaaaaazing.
11. And finally, lose the guilt.

I know that healthy holiday eating can make people anxious, but try not to get too worked up. This should be a time of celebration and also relaxation. If you do happen to eat more than you planned during this holiday season, don't beat yourself up. More importantly, don't let a slip become a fall. If you do go overboard, don't get stuck in a food rut. Try to get back to your healthy eating habits as soon as you possibly can.reprinted from self.com

Give the Gift of Fitness!

Are you looking for that perfect gift for your loved one?

Do they need their Rec Center membership renewed?

Are they wanting to lead a healthy lifestyle & join a gym?

Consider giving the gift of fitness this holiday season! The Rec Center has all you need to get you on the right track.

The Recreation Center has the following amenities:

• Aerobics Room
• Basketball / Volleyball Courts
• Indoor Swimming Pool
• Racquetball Court
• Tennis Courts
• Walking / Jogging Track
• Weight Room

Child care is provided at no cost to members and their children who are using the Recreation Center facility during the following hours:

• Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

With over 50 aerobics classes to choose from each week, you will never get bored!

Memberships include access to the weight room, swimming pool, basketball courts and track and start at $33 per month.

For more information on rates, visit: https://www.claremorecity.com/229/Membership-Rates-Fees

9 Reasons to Start your New Year’s Resolution Right Now

Have you begun to give thought to your New Year’s Resolution? If not, it is time.

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology at the University of Scranton, these 5 resolutions are the most popular:

Lose Weight
Get Organized
Spend Less, Save More
Enjoy Life to the Fullest
Stay Fit and Healthy

If you have any goals such as these in mind to put into action when the clock strikes 12 on January 1st, who’s to say you can’t start right now?

Many people wait until the new year to begin new projects or set new goals because a new calendar year implies starting over with a clean slate. At dinner on New Year’s Eve, friends and families gather all over the world and share their favorite moments from the year before, making a resolution for the next year and pledging to commit to them. Most people look at the new year as a chance at a whole new life, and it is – but why can’t your new life start now? It can, and there are plenty of reasons why starting your new year’s resolutions today is actually more beneficial in the long run.

9 Reasons to Start your New Year’s Resolution Right Now

1 – EVERY DAY YOU WAKE UP IS A CHANCE TO START OVER

Why wait until a certain date to transform your life? You can set goals and chase dreams every day when you get out of bed; you don’t need a calendar to tell you when you can make resolutions. Most people wait until the new year to make changes in their lives because it gives them an excuse to procrastinate and even give up their goals altogether. Also, when you set a future date to start something, you invalidate the present moment.

Right now is as good a time as any to start something new and exciting, and you are more than capable of transforming your life today!

2 – YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEW YEAR

In a sense, if you postpone your goals to a later date, you will lose valuable time that you could spend to manifest your dreams. Think of how much you can get done between now and the new year. For example, imagine that you want to adopt a healthier lifestyle that includes more fruits and vegetables and a regular exercise routine. You could start feeling more vibrant and having more energy now instead of waiting until the new year, and you will feel accomplished knowing you beat everyone else to the punch and started your New Year’s resolutions early!

3 – TIME IS JUST AN ILLUSION ANYWAY



Humans invented the idea of time as a way to measure events and order them from past to present. Even though it makes us more aware of deadlines and gives us a way to track important life events, the only real-time is the “Now.” Without getting too technical, the past, present, and future all exist simultaneously, converging and forming a continuous flow of energy. You can create whatever reality you want to see right at this moment, and that will set the stage for every subsequent moment you experience. While the idea of time can be comforting, you don’t need to set goals for a certain date in order to achieve them. You can simply have an action plan and pursue your goals in each moment without the added pressure of time.

4 – THE “RIGHT TIME” IS ANY TIME

A lot of people spend a large portion of their lives waiting for a sign to tell them it’s the right time to pursue a goal, or wait until they feel ready. But, why can’t right now be the right time? If you wait until tomorrow, you might still think you’re not ready to wake your dreams into reality. Here’s a secret: you are ready if you just believe it. Your mind creates your reality, so make sure your thoughts stay positive!

You can achieve anything you want at any time if you simply have faith in yourself and your abilities. You were born ready. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here on this planet right now. We all have a divine purpose, and we were put on this Earth to execute that purpose in only the way we know how.

5 – YOU WILL STAY MORE ORGANIZED

When we put off goals or errands, we invite chaos and disorganization into our lives. For example, if you have five important projects that you want to finish by a certain date, but you put them off until the last minute, you will have to complete all of them in a shorter timeframe. This puts a lot of unnecessary stress on you as you scramble to get everything is done, which means your workspace will likely reflect your inner state of being. Then, important papers might get lost, you could accidentally delete files off your computer, or you might totally forget about a project altogether.

To prevent this from happening, just start your projects or goals ahead of time. Then, you will have more time to work on your goals and can keep your workspace and your brain more organized.

6 – YOU CAN ELIMINATE ADDED STRESS

When people make their new year’s resolution, they hold themselves to very high standards to accomplish their goals. Making a resolution has become a trademark of the holiday, and many feel that the New Year is incomplete without making declarations to change their lives in the upcoming year. However, when you announce your goals to your friends or family at a party or dinner, you might feel obligated to follow through with your plans to avoid embarrassment or shame in the future.

Simply put, people hype up their new year’s resolution and often feel very disappointed and stressed when they don’t follow through with them. By starting on them now, you will be more likely to commit to them long-term if they aren’t attached to traditions or expectations from others.

7 – THERE’S LESS PRESSURE

When the new year rolls around and people start making the resolution to live life to the fullest, lose fifty pounds, get a new job, or travel the world, they put a lot of pressure on themselves. If you just commit to living better each day and don’t use a holiday as a starting point to transform your life and start anew, you can eliminate that added pressure. You can make goal-setting and living the life you want a daily habit rather than a highly overrated holiday activity.

8 – YOU’RE LIKELY TO SET MORE REALISTIC GOALS

Since a lot of hype surrounds your New Year’s resolution, many people set grandiose goals that they usually never follow through with. Also, a lot of people set too many goals and don’t take into account the time they have to work on them. If you have more time to think about your plans and don’t just blurt out a resolution that sounds impressive, you will likely set more realistic goals for your lifestyle.

9 – THERE’S A BETTER CHANCE YOU’LL STICK TO THEM LONG-TERM

Since only 23 percent of people who set a New Year’s resolution actually follow through with them, according to a survey by FranklinCovey, you will have a higher chance of sticking to your guns if you set goals on your own terms. When you treat each day as a gift, a chance for a new beginning instead of waiting for that magical first day of the year, you will have more control of your life and realize that you create your future every single day.

reprinted from powerofpositivity.com