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Tips for Staying Healthy at Holiday Parties

Holiday party season is in full swing! Whether you are heading to the office party after work or gathering with friends over the weekend, your social calendar is filling up fast. Between party hopping and holiday shopping, it’s important to take time for yourself and stay focused on your health and fitness goals. Here are a few tips to keep yourself on track while still enjoying all the festive fun.

  1. Do not arrive on an empty stomach- showing up to a holiday party with an empty stomach can make it extremely hard not to overindulge before, during, and after dinner. Try and make healthy choices the morning of the party, having a healthy snack before you go can prevent mindless snacking on the not-so-healthy choices at the party later on!
  2. Enjoy a variety of food groups- try and add a healthy variety to your plate. Enjoy whole grain crackers with hummus or guacamole for a dip or unsalted nuts for a healthy snack. Try and fill up with fresh vegetables and fruit. For meals choose lean protein sources and trim excess fat from meats. Also go easy on sauces and gravy that can be loaded with saturated fat and sodium.
  3. Don’t drink your calories- drinks that are mixed with soda contain empty calories and a lot of sugar. Many beers are also high in calories. Eggnog, another holiday favorite is made with milk, eggs, and sugar, that makes it very fattening. Try and stick to water or seltzer and add fresh fruit or a splash of 100% fruit juice for a bit of flavor. Also try and stay hydrated if you are consuming beverages containing alcohol- check out our tips for healthy holiday beverages!
  4. Bake healthier- if you can, cut the sugar amount in half when baking, and add spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor rather than salt. Try baking apples with cinnamon and a little bit of sugar as a healthier alternative. Cut down on sugar and calories by skipping out on the whipped cream with your desserts.
  5. Try and keep your routine and stay active! Just because you have a holiday party later in the day does not mean that you have to skip out on your usual morning workout. With the busy holiday season it can be easy to fall out of your daily routine. Try and set aside time for exercise even during this busy time of the year, especially when you will likely be eating and drinking more than usual.

 

By Lisa Cassata

 

Recipe of the Week: Homemade Eggnog

Here is a healthier recipe for Eggnog that you can enjoy while cutting back on some of the calories, fat, and sugar!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups skim milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Freshly grated cinnamon, for garnish

Directions:
Heat 1 ½ cups milk and vanilla in a saucepan. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl until combined. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Place back into saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until eggnog thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately add remaining ½ cup of milk. Pour into pitcher and chill until ready to serve. Garnish with cinnamon. Makes 6 servings

 

Original recipe can be found here!

Making Holiday Beverages Healthier

We all know it can be challenging to stay healthy and avoid weight gain during the holiday season. With parties approaching, there will most likely be an endless supply of food and drinks, it is difficult to resist the temptation to overindulge; however choosing a few healthier options can go a long way in cutting back some calories. When we think about holiday weight gain, many people’s first thoughts are about all the food we consume from snacks to large meals with family and friends and of course all the tasty desserts. However, a lot of calories come from the popular beverages that are always around for the holidays (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Not only are these drinks around at holiday parties, but about every coffee shop advertises their seasonal holiday drinks that can have large amounts of calories, fat, and sugar. Here are a few simple tips to follow to make those tasty holiday beverages a bit healthier!

  • Leave alcohol out of drinks when you can.
  • Skip on the whipped cream- that goes for your favorite Starbucks drink as well as your homemade hot chocolate! Whipped cream can add 60-70 calories to your drink and 6-7 grams of fat.
  • Try and skip out on the caramel drizzle, which can save you around 25 calories as well as added sugar.
  • Skip sugary ingredients in your apple cider drink and try adding that sweetness or spice in other ways with natural, healthier options such as nutmeg, cloves, cranberries, and cinnamon sticks.
  • Eggnog is a holiday classic that many people like to enjoy around the holidays, however what we might not realize is that the average 6-ounce eggnog drink can pack 435 calories and 30g of fat. Make this popular holiday beverage healthier by using low-fat or skim milk, using egg substitute, and opting for liquor free.
  • In drinks that call for chocolate, try and use dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate contains more flavonoids which can reduce inflammation. (The higher the cocoa content, the better)
  • Categorize those holiday beverages as desserts rather than drinks and you will be less likely to over indulge and drink more calories than necessary.
  • Mix drinks with low or no calorie options such as seltzer rather than soda, and make sure you stay hydrated by having a glass of water every other drink!

 

Check back this week for a recipe that puts a healthy spin on classic eggnog!

 

By Lisa Cassata

Recipe of the Week: Cranberry-Nut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes: 36 cookies
Serving Size: 1 cookie
Per serving: Calories 75, Fat 2.6g, Protein 1.4g, Carbs 12.1g

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 3 1/3 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour (about 3 1/2 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup regular oats
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped walnuts
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate minichips
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg white
  • Cooking spray

Directions:

  1. Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, oats, baking powder, and the next 5 ingredients (through chips) in a large bowl.
  2. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add honey, vanilla, egg, and egg white; beat well. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°.
  4. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes on pans. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Getting Passed the “Weight Loss Plateau”

The process of healthy weight loss takes a combination of changing your diet (calories in) and increasing exercise (calories burned). It’s common to see a rapid loss of weight in the early stages of the weight loss process due to diet restrictions, increases in exercise, and losses in water weight. However, after this initial weight loss people tend to hit a wall and the rate of weight lost slows down or stops completely. This “weight loss plateau” effect is caused by the body’s ability to adjust to the changes in diet and exercise intensity. Therefore, the same effort it took to lose the weight initially will not continue to have the same effect going forward.

In order continue the process you must continually alter the factors that contribute to weight loss; i.e. diet and exercise. Here are a few tips to help break through the weight loss plateau.

  • Diet – after the initial stages of weight loss, you may have to further decrease your caloric intake OR maintain caloric intake but modify the ratio of carbohydrates and proteins.
    • Increasing protein intake will aid in the growth of muscle tissue which is responsible for maintaining our metabolism
  • Exercise – an increase in exercise frequency (number of workouts per week) or exercise intensity will be necessary to break the plateau. As our bodies get stronger and more fit we need to continue to challenge ourselves in order to progress.
  • Fluid intake – make sure that enough water is being consumed throughout the day. Dehydration can cause cravings for food and sugary drinks.
  • Sleep and rest – recovery time is pivotal for regulating our hormone activity and keeping our bodies healthy during the weight loss process.

 

By David McCalla

The Right Mindset for the Holidays

The holidays are quickly approaching and we are thinking about all the delicious food that comes with the holidays. It’s important to set your brain up for success, too! It’s time to establish a game plan for keeping your mind and body healthy is during this time of year.

The clients who are the most successful with staying healthy are the ones that plan in advance. Getting your mind to learn how to think healthy is the first step to getting your whole body to be healthy. Break it down into three steps to establish healthy ways of thinking:

  • Anticipate the day or event where you are going to enjoy eating with the family. Keep up with your workout routine before and continue your healthy eating habits. One day of indulging should not ruin all you have accomplished. If you know a big meal is coming, don’t react to a bad meal and then try to workout because you feel guilty about it. You should be able to enjoy the holidays and stay focused on your goals.
  • Plan what you are going to eat for the week in advance. Put your food in containers for the next few days at a time. This is important because it makes it easier to eat healthy and use portion control. If you take two days of your week for an hour each day to prepare your food, the rest of the week is easy. Hold yourself accountable for your actions- you are the only one that can control what you eat. Do your best to maintain a positive and healthy mindset!
  • Enjoy the holidays with your loved ones! The happier you are, the more you will want to take care of yourself. If you do the first two steps, this last step is easy! Don’t feel guilty about enjoying a cookie or two, but don’t eat the whole tray. Savor the foods you enjoy and eat them slowly. Appreciate the time you get to spend with your loved ones. You know how hard you worked up until this point and you deserve to enjoy the holidays!

A healthy mind set is just thinking about you and your health before you think about quick and easy. The saying goes “nothing worth having comes easy;” with hard work and consistency, you will truly appreciate the goals you achieve vs. having something handed to you.

The holidays are not a hard time to stay healthy if you truly want to be. Hold yourself accountable and be positive about your ability to control what you eat and do. If you exercise through the holidays you will feel so good about yourself and your New Years will be better then ever.

 

-Corynne Pereira, MS, CSCS

 

Recipe of the Week: Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mist an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.
  3. Mix the brown sugar, pecans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Nutrition:
Serves: 8
Per serving: Calories 160; Fat 4 g; Sodium 180 mg; Carbohydrate 31 g; Protein 3 g

Original recipe can be found here!

Thank You!

A huge thank you to all our gym members, physical therapy patients, and staff that donated their leftover Halloween candy! Thanks to you, we are shipping out over 125 lbs. of candy to our troops overseas.

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