‘Tis the season for overindulging, especially in food and drinks. With so many holiday parties and get-togethers, it’s hard to stick to healthy eating, let alone dieting.
Author and certified personal trainer, Gina Harney shared with Organic Spa Magazine five tips from her book HIIT IT! (Demos Health) to help make better eating choices, prepare for those inevitable eating and drinking sessions and come out of the holidays feeling good!
1. Pick two out of three: wine, bread or dessert. For me, wine and dessert usually win. I like to share dessert, since I’m usually satisfied from dinner, but if I don’t see any that sound particularly appealing, I stick with a glass of wine and call it a night.
2. Try almond milk instead of half and half for creamy cocktails. It tastes just as delicious, and will dramatically decrease the calorie toll. Try coffee ice cubes (just freeze black coffee in ice cube trays) with 1 shot of Bailey’s, 3/4-1 cup almond milk, a splash of vanilla vodka with a sprig of fresh mint.
3. Try before you “buy.” Have little bites of everything you want to try, then go back for a half serving of the ones you enjoy the most. As a strategy, try and fill up with produce. When I’m at a holiday party, I like to enjoy a large salad and crudités as a method to get nutrients and fiber.
4. Always have an emergency snack available, and eat it right before you get to the party. I always like to have a trail mix, a bar, or at least an apple handy, and I drink plenty of water before a holiday party. This way, I’m less likely to overindulge.
5. Break up your workout throughout the day. Even if you don’t have time for a full workout, split it up into 10-minute segments. I would recommend 10 minutes of walking or easy cardio (which can be done running errands), 10 minutes of strength (try a circuit of squats, lunges, pushups, tricep dips and planks), and 10 minutes of core work. (Planks, Supermans, v-ups and bicycle crunches are great options.)
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