34 DECEMBER 17, 2020 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
You’ve probably gone through
this before - in the midst of
holiday festivities, you abandon
the healthy habits you’ve been
working on all year long. You tell
yourself, “I’ll start eating healthy
again on Jan. 1.” Meanwhile, you give
in to temptation, shift ing the burden
to your next New Year’s resolutions.
The truth is, nutrition is important
all year - even during the holidays.
So even if you let yourself splurge a
little, that doesn’t mean you have to
throw all your best habits away until
the new year begins.
“The hectic nature of the holiday
season may be a tough time for many
to maintain their healthy lifestyle,
but it’s important not to write off your
healthy lifestyle goals,” said Dr. Kent
Bradley, chief health and nutrition
offi cer at Herbalife Nutrition.
In an annual survey by Herbalife
Nutrition, over half (56%) of the
respondents revealed that they plan
on using the holidays as an excuse to
postpone healthy choices - assuming
they would start fresh in January.
That number was up 15% from last
year, showing that the added stress
of 2020 may be having an impact. In
fact, 49% of the global respondents
said they believed they deserved
more holiday treats this year because
of the pandemic.
How bad can holiday overeating
get? Here’s what American respondents
admitted they’ve done during
the holidays:
• 45% ate so much they’ve had to
undo a pants button or loosen a belt
• 43% ate more than one dessert at
a meal
• 35% ate more than three meals in
one day
• 30% have eaten until they felt sick
or full to bursting
If you don’t want to join those
statistics, follow Dr. Bradley’s tips
for sticking to your healthier habits
throughout the holidays - and
beyond.
REMEMBER WHY YOU
ESTABLISHED HEALTH
GOALS
Are you trying to achieve your
ideal weight, be more active or just
want to take better care of yourself?
Perhaps you have a specifi c health
risk that you are working to reduce.
Write the top reasons you want to
stay healthy and post them where
you can see them every day.
SNACK ON HIGHQUALITY,
NUTRITIOUS
FOODS
“One way to beat temptation is to
eat healthy snacks that are high in
protein, curbing the desire to eat,”
said Dr. Bradley. Keep foods like
raw nuts and seeds, hard-boiled eggs,
lean meat and low-fat cheeses available
for snacking. Snacking on your
high-protein foods a little before a
big meal can prevent you from overindulging.
CHOOSE COLORFUL,
BALANCED MEALS
When choosing foods at the family
meal, select colorful veggies and
fruits to supplement your protein,
and strive for a balance of protein,
veggies and grains or pasta on your
plate.
WATCH PORTION SIZES
It’s so easy to overeat when all the
food looks delicious! If you want to
taste several dishes, limit yourself to
a spoonful of each item so you don’t
end up overstuffing. If you can, use
a smaller plate so you’re not tempted
to pile on. Sip water between bites to
slow down and give yourself time to
feel full.
LIMIT “SPLURGE” DAYS
If you want to treat yourself, remember
to limit the treat to one occasion.
For one special event, allow
yourself a treat - but get back to your
healthy habits the next morning.
According to the survey, of those
Americans postponing healthy
habits, 4 in 10 already started letting
themselves fall off the healthy wagon
in mid-November, and 62% of them
said they’re adopting a “New Year,
new me” attitude - counting on New
Year’s resolutions to get them back
on track.
Resolutions are a great way to kick
off the year on a positive note, but
make sure you set achievable goals.
“Small and steady changes to your
diet and fi tness routine are more
sustainable,” said Dr. Bradley, “and
having a community to encourage
and celebrate your success with you,
even if virtually, can make a huge
diff erence.”
Top resolutions were found to
be exercising more (26%), making
healthier food decisions (25%) and
focusing on self-care (21%).
Want more nutrition advice? Visit
IamHerbalifeNutrition.com.
— Courtesy of BPT
HOLIDAYS
How to keep healthy habits on track around the holidays
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