Celebrate the Holidays with Healthy Ideas

The holiday season is here and your calendar might be filling up with parties. This means lots of food--and not just regular foods, either--this time of year, rich foods are usually the stars. Even vegetables get slathered in sauces, just because it’s the holidays.

All this adds up to extra calories, which can mean unwanted weight gain. Weight control is so important for people with diabetes because when your weight goes up, so does your glucose. And, since losing weight isn’t easy, your best bet is to prevent the weight gain in the first place. Here are some ideas about how to celebrate healthy this holiday season:  

Create new non-food traditions.

When we get together with family and friends, we often just automatically start planning around the food. Try to think of some traditions your family does now, or that you can start doing, that don’t have to involve food. Instead of a big meal, try going for a walk, throwing around the football outside, playing board games, or making crafts together. Time with family and friends is important, and the focus doesn’t always have to be on food.

Don’t go to that party hungry.

Party food is usually laden with extra calories and so it isn't the best choice for filling up on. If you know you're going to be attending a party later, make a conscious effort to eat light during the day to save some calories, and then be sure to always eat a snack before you set out for the party.

Offer to bring food or drinks, or both.

A great way to control what you eat at a party is to bring a favorite salad or vegetable tray along with you. That way, you’ll be certain to have something healthy to eat. Think about drinks, too--if you carry along a wine spritzer that's only half wine and half club soda, you'll be reducing your calories to just around 50 per glassful.

Stay away from the buffet table.

You will be less tempted to keep nibbling and noshing if you move your conversation away from the food area.

Go easy on the condiments.

Sauces and salad dressings certainly look tempting, but they can heap the calories and fat onto otherwise healthy foods.

Go green.

Don’t forget about the vegetables. Vegetables are the lowest-calorie food group and their bulk can fill you up more quickly than most other foods. And if those veggies are prepared without butter or sauces, they'll have few carbs and no fat. 

Don’t forget to exercise.

The busyness of the season and the colder weather can make it all too easy for you to bump exercise right off your schedule. Remember that exercise is a great way to burn off some of those extra calories and lower your glucose level after a big meal. This year, exercise with your family and friends, and make that a lifelong holiday tradition!