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Staying Fit Through the Holidays
November: time for turkey, family, and ... weight gain? The average weight gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is five to seven pounds. Why? Some of the gain is due to social eating. The holiday season is filled with food, parties and drinks. It’s also the time of year that the demands of college may seem overwhelming. With exams around the corner, this can mean less time for exercise, less time for sleep, and more time to see food as a welcome distraction. And, for many, November ushers in the beginning of a long, cold winter limiting outdoor exercise. How can you stay healthy and fit during this time of year?
Welcome November as a time to eat traditional foods, see family and friends … but not gorge through the entire season. The problem is the holiDAY becomes the holiMONTH and it’s many meals, many pies, many drinks and many snacks … and that adds up.
The problem is the holiDAY becomes the holiMONTH. |
Think Balance: eating a big holiday meal does not necessarily mean you will gain weight. Traditional holiday foods like turkey, sweet potatoes, and greens are not high-calorie or poor food choices at all. In fact, just the opposite is true. Take time to fit in exercise … even if it’s just a walk at the mall or an extra trip around campus. Regular exercise can help relieve stress, increase your energy level, make you feel better about your body, even help you to sleep better at night. But it’s hard to imagine that when you are snuggled under your comforter on a cold day!
To stay fit and enjoy the holidays, take care of your body. Enjoy a new “winter food” like winter squash or a crispy fall apple. Even if there is a chill in the air, bundle up and walk outside. It will make studying that much easier. Don’t write the holidays off as nutritional nightmare. It does not have to be that way. It’s all about mindset and balance. Balance healthy, holiday foods with delicious treats that are seasonal and perhaps “special.” And … regardless of the weather, try and fit in a brisk walk or spend some relaxing hours taking care of your body.
Top 10 ways to stay fit during the holiday season:
10. |
Wear a pedometer |
9.
|
Walk up and down stairs |
8. |
Take a yoga class |
7. |
Enjoy family and friends |
6. |
Watch what you drink |
5. |
Enjoy the holiday meal (not the holiday month) |
4. |
Become a mall walker |
3. |
Get enough sleep |
2. |
Take a stress break away from food |
1. |
Relax in a hot bubble bath |
Can healthy eating and college life go together? Absolutely! Get the nutrition facts you need in the book Eating Well on Campus by Ann Litt, M.S., R.D., L.D.
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