Get Back on Track After Holiday Eating!

Written by Lynn Roblin, MSc. RD

Holiday festivities and the delicious foods that accompany them often interfere with our well-intentioned plans to keep our weight in check and our bodies in shape. Indeed the extra food and beverages we enjoy during times of celebration may end up contributing to some weight gain.

The most important thing to keep in mind at this time of year is to get back as fast as possible to your healthy eating and exercise habits. Any weight gained over the holidays should come off once your lifestyle gets back to normal.

To help keep weight in control and your body in shape, during and after the holiday season, follow these tips:

• Make physical activity a priority. Take time to get your body moving for at least 30 minutes a day, on most if not all days. Three 10-minute brisk walks throughout the day can have positive health benefits and help you feel more energetic. According the Canada's Physical Activity Guide to Healthy Active Living www.paguide.com you need to do three types of activities to keep your body healthy: endurance activities 4-7 times per week; flexibility activities 4-7 times a week, and strength activities 2-4 times per week.


• Canada's Food Guide recommends having breakfast every day. It may help control your hunger later in the day. A serving of cereal, a glass of low fat milk and a piece of fruit makes a simple, nutritious breakfast.


• Avoid skipping meals. Depriving yourself of food throughout the day can lead to overeating late in the day and possible weight gain. It?s better to fuel your body with several nutrient-rich snacks than to skip meals altogether. Simple snacks to grab include: ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, cereal bars, low-fat yogurt, fruit or fruit salad, vegetable sticks, whole grain bread or bagels, low-fat muffins, cheese and whole wheat crackers, milk, fruit and vegetable juices.


• Keep track of your nibbles. If you follow a grazing style of eating instead of eating regular meals it?s easy to get carried away and possibly eat more than you really need. Remember to count your snacks as part of your total daily food intake.


• Choose lower fat foods. Whether you are eating at home or out - choose foods that are steamed, baked, broiled, roasted, or poached instead of foods that have been fried or deep-fried. Use lemon, tomato and herbs for extra flavour instead of rich sauces. Have pasta with tomato-based sauces instead of cheese or cream sauces. Choose garden fresh salads with vinaigrette dressing instead of higher-fat Caesar and taco salads. When faced with tempting rich desserts, enjoy a small delicious taste or share a larger piece with a friend.


• Drink plenty of fluids. Women over the age of 19 need about nine cups of fluid per day to keep hydrated. Water, milk, juice, soup, decaffeinated coffee or tea, or herbal tea all count towards your daily fluid needs. Caffeine containing beverages including cola soft drinks cause your body to lose water so up your intake of other beverages if you choose these. Remember that drinking large amounts of juice provides a substantial amount of calories so keep your intake at one or two servings (1/2 or 1 cup) per day.

Lynn Roblin is a registered dietitian, freelance nutrition writer and co-author of Suppertime Survival (2005). For more information visit www.eatwrite.com. The nutrition and physical activity information found in this article is provided as a service to the public. It is for informational purposes only and may not be applicable to everyone. Always consult your health care professional before making any significant changes in your dietary habits or your physical activity routines.nes.