Ten Tips for Healthier Eating During the Holiday Season

Most of us love the approaching holiday seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas. The family gatherings, the office parties and all that good food and cheer. With all that good food some us come out a few pounds heavier by January 1st. The good news? There’s no reason to gain weight if you follow these tips.

1. Start eating healthier now instead of January 2, 2013.

Now is the time to get a jump start instead of another New Year’s resolution.

2. Increase your exercise routine now, and add 2-5 minutes each week until January.

If you add even just two minutes per week to your weekly exercise routine November 15th you will be exercising almost 15 minutes more by January 1, 2013. If you add 5 minutes per week to your exercise routine you would be up to 30 minutes additional workout time by January.

3. Eat more vegetables, and less meat.

Add more fiber now with fresh vegetables as the main part of lunch and dinner. Use olive oil and cut out or reduce butter consumption.

4. Start reading a healthy living magazine or health blog.

There are so many amazing resources to help you understand the relationship of food and health. Go to your local library and take a look at the magazine rack. Go online and search out healthy lifestyle blogs.

5. If you watch TV get up and walk in place every commercial break.

This sets into motion a habit that can expand into walking to the local grocery store, or at least taking that parking space farther away from a store instead of getting as close as possible. Walking is great exercise.

6. Take the stairs, not the elevator when reasonable.

If you work in a high rise no need to climb 50 floors, but climb a few when possible then take the elevator the rest of the way. Increase a floor or two each week. If you live in an apartment building walk as many flights of stairs as you can and increase a floor or two per week.

7. Eat an apple for a snack instead of a cupcake.

Cupcakes. Who doesn’t love them? I like to eat one every month or two. However have an apple, almonds, carrots, or other fresh vegetable instead, and feel better about yourself for doing so. It’s important to eat enough throughout the day, and healthy snacks keep you from feeling deprived.

8. Eat oatmeal for breakfast with raisins and a few walnuts.

Oatmeal is great stuff. It adds fiber, and reduces cholesterol for most people that eat it on a regular basis. Skip the milk, butter or cream and just add raisins, walnuts or even a bit of apple juice to make a great tasting breakfast. I like adding cut up fresh apples to the water before adding the oats.

9. Find or start a walking group in your neighborhood.

Walking is better done with two or more. If you can’t find anyone to walk with try meetup.com to find a walking group, and if you don’t find a walking group there start your own. Meetup.com is a great resource for this.

10. Focus on being healthier.

This is a big one. Focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want. Visualize a healthier you. Of all the areas of your life, being healthier and slimmer is one you have a great deal of control over. Take charge and make it happen. Visit my blog FastandFuriousCook.com and get the tools for healthier eating by signing up for a free subscription. If I, the overweight chef could do this, I know you can too. I’ll give you lots of ideas for healthy meals that take very little time and effort to prepare using easy to find ingredients. All through the year I’ll post seasonal foods that will have you preparing great tasting, healthy meals for your loved ones. Eating healthy is a lifestyle change. It will take time to work, but it can. Take control now, and live healthier for the rest of the year and beyond.

FastandFuriousCook.com