The Winter season is in full swing, along with the new year’s festivities. This is such a joyous time, but along with the joy comes anxiety and stress over nutrition choices. But the holiday binge eating can have serious consequences on our health.
Eating without a sense of health may impact our cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may impact our heart health and overall wellness. We may find ourselves weighing some extra kilos post-holidays.
It is all about taking a more mindful approach towards what we eat, focusing on self-care rather than overindulgence.
Here are a few nutrition tips for mindfulness from our expert dietitian.
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Be Consistent in Your Eating Habits: During holidays, one may visit family and friends or host some guests. This is bound to impact one’s eating patterns. But one must not let the holiday season impact their eating habits. One must not skip meals to save calories for a big dinner. Eat consistently but mindfully, as large gaps between meals may increase hunger and cravings, encouraging binge eating.
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Avoid Foods with Saturated Fat: Food on holidays and parties is generally high in saturated fats, which may impact an individual’s cholesterol levels. One must, therefore, strictly stay away from foods rich in fats and limit fatty meats and cheeses. Rather, one must try eating heart-healthy foods like high-fiber whole grains, lean proteins, fresh fruit, and vegetables.
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Snack Before Parties: Here is a simple trick to prevent oneself from overindulging. Stay mindful of hunger and have a small snack before a party, like yogurt, dry fruits, roasted seeds, or an apple. One must eat slowly and enjoy each bite. Eating something healthy before a big dinner can protect you from binge eating.
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Go Easy on The Alcohol: Too much alcohol puts unnecessary stress on the body. Imbibe mindfully at the holidays to stay healthy this winter. Alcohol has zero nutritional value and has an adverse impact on the immune system. Also, winter cocktails are equally bad as they may be packed with sugar and fat. The good news is that there are some lighter options that one can opt for. Enjoy a cocktail instead of having a hard drink, then switch to soda water with a beautiful garnish, like a slice of orange or lemon.
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Keep the Water intake high: In winter, we generally drink less water, but our body’s requirement for water does not change with the weather. Water helps combat fatigue. One must drink plenty of water, precisely 8-10 glasses daily. Staying hydrated is better than being caffeinated. Grab water instead of coffee or soda.
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Slow It Down: With all the holiday excitement and vacation mood, one may get anxious and sleep less. Do not compromise on your sleep. Our body requires 7-8 hours of sound sleep to de-stress and restart. Lack of sleep may generate stress and affect metabolism.
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Get Your Blood Pumping: Let us not forget how important it is to move. Health is not only about nutrition but about staying fit through regular physical activity. Enjoy the food and festivities, but stay active with whatever gets your blood pumping. This can ensure good heart health and overall well-being.
The Bottom Line
Holidays and New Years are the perfect times to practice mindful eating. Instead of stressing about calories, one must eat mindfully and focus on slowing down and enjoying the. Avoid things that may be hard to digest and have zero nutritional value. Remember, putting on calories is easy and quick, but shedding them is a difficult and lengthy. So, enjoy and eat mindfully!
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