Extra pounds don't need to come with the season.
So says Stacey Berisavac, a North Shore resident and team leader of health promotions for the Canadian Cancer Society, who has a background in kinesiology and health science. Berisavac suggests it's easy to beat the holiday bulge by following a few tricks and tips.
"I truly believe that you can stay healthy and still indulge over Christmas, but I know that might seem counterintuitive to most people," she says.
It's important to continue being physically active over the holidays, she says, and the best way to do this is with somebody else. "It's easier to motivate yourself when you're accountable to a friend."
Busy parents should try to connect with other families to get active together, she says.
Berisavac recommends snowshoeing, which is a great activity for any level of expertise. "It's fantastic exercise, and it's fun when you do it with somebody else," she says. Many gyms start to roll out their drop-in beginners classes at this time of year in preparation for New Year's resolutions and it's a good idea to take advantage of them, says Berisavac. To stay on track with food, she recommends nuts, particularly almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds as holiday snacks. "Greek yogurt is also great because it has a high amount of protein," she says. "It's satisfying and easy to prepare. Just add some
fresh sliced fruit or mixed berries that have been thawed in the fridge."
To avoid over-indulging at holiday parties, Berisavac recommends bringing a healthy dish of fruits and veggies.
"People will eat what's in front of them. If the healthy choice is the easy choice, they'll go for that," she says. "But if you only put cookies and sweets in front of people, they're going to go for that too."
Before going to a party, Berisavac suggests eating a small healthy meal loaded with protein to help keep you fuller longer. "That way you can just graze instead of hitting the buffet table too many times."
Limiting the number of high-fat drinks is another way to keep the weight down, she says. "Anything that's cream-based, like eggnog or Bailey's, will definitely increase the calories," she says. "But if you're going to go for it anyway, try to skip the whipped cream."
She also points out that it's important to drink lots of water. "It might not seem appealing because it's cold outside, but you can drink warm water with lemon."
Berisavac says that it's important to be mindful of your diet, but it isn't necessary to avoid every holiday party or buffet. "Just try to not go for that second, third or fourth plate," she suggests. And if you have a day that you over-indulge, just relax about it. "It's not one day, one meal or one event that's going to completely throw you off your regular eating patterns."
Plan to eat healthy the next day, drink lots of water and get active, she says. "We can be harder on ourselves than necessary. It really doesn't take long to get back on track."
