3 Simple Tips for CHOOSING a Healthy Holiday

One of the best feelings in the world is anticipating a really fun day with family and friends which will include sitting down to a really good meal.  One of the worst feelings in the world is crawling away from the table with an overstuffed belly, pants that are now way too tight and the mental haze of an uncontrolled feeding frenzy.  Wouldn't it be fantastic to focus on that first feeling without having to worry about the second?  Here are three simple choices that you can make to have a healthy holiday and avoid the post-dinner pain of having eaten too much.

1) CHOOSE TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES BEFORE THE PARTY BEGINS.  Before leaving your house or welcoming your first guest, make the conscious decision to have a healthy holiday.  Going in with the mindset of making healthy choices increases the possibility that you will do just that!  I encourage you to take that one step further and tell someone that you want to have a healthy holiday.  Having someone give you the evil eye as you begin to help yourself to a second piece of pie can be a strong deterrent!

2) CHOOSE YOUR SEAT.  When you arrive at the gathering, scan the room before you sit down.  If there is a table with appetizers or desserts, sit far away.  You are less likely to keep munching if you have to stand up and walk across the room.  If there are other members of your family or friends also striving to be healthier, sit with them or where you can make eye contact with them.  Getting that "look" as you reach for another chip loaded with dip can be very powerful.

3) CHOOSE YOUR TREAT.  Before jumping into the buffet line or placing a large spoonful of the first dish passed to you on your plate, know what all of your options are so that you can choose wisely.  I'm not suggesting that you deny yourself any Thanksgiving goodness, simply be mindful of what you are putting on your plate.  If your uncle makes the best macaroni and cheese, take a smaller portion of other sides and save room for a heaping spoonful of that cheesy deliciousness.  If your mom only makes her pecan pie at Thanksgiving, choose that as your dessert and skip the others.  When you are lifting your fork to your mouth, go slow!  Take your time.  Savor each bite.  At my work's Thanksgiving Dinner last week, my co-workers were teasing me as I ever so slowly took each bite of that sweet potato casserole.  I look forward to that casserole every year so I didn't want to shove it in my mouth without pausing to enjoy it.  I purposely made sure that I delighted in every single mouthful of that casserole!  It was the highlight of my meal!

Three simple steps that you can take to help yourself make healthy choices at your holiday feast.  Set yourself up for success!  And most importantly - focus on having a good time with family and friends.  It will be much more fun without the worry, guilt or discomfort of overeating.  You got this!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

6 Easy Ways to Move More at Work

It's time to close my laptop and head out to my car.  Let's go home!  On my way out, I nervously glance down at my Fitbit.  I've avoided looking at it all day because I know that number is small.  My day consisted of meetings, 1:1's with my staff and a lot of time at my desk.  I barely moved at all!

That scene was becoming way too routine for me.   As a result, I was stiff and mentally groggy at the end of the day.  My body hurt.  I decided that I need to be purposeful in adding movement to my day.  The Adult Day Health Center where I work is a small building so classic ideas like taking the stairs instead of the elevator aren't an option (there are no stairs!), but there are ways that I could help myself move more.

1) Put down the phone and go talk to the person face-to-face.  Between phone calls, e-mail and texting, it would be easy to go for long stretches of time without talking to someone face-to-face.  Besides increasing your movement I bet that this will improve your relationships with your co-workers. 

2) Print out your work on a different printer.  I have a private printer in my office, but I also have access to the public printer.  For items that don't need to be kept confidential, I'll use the public printer.  I have to leave my office and walk to pick up those papers.

3) Use the bathroom that is farthest away from you.  Just plan wisely so you have enough time to get there!

4) Use a coffee mug or small water bottle during the day.  I had been using a fairly large plastic cup to ensure that I would drink water during the day.  My co-worker drinks out of a small coffee mug.  One day I suggested to him that he get a larger mug or a water bottle to drink from during the day.  His reasoning for using that coffee mug makes a lot of sense - the smaller glass forces him to get up and refill his mug often throughout the day causing him to get up and move.

5) Take a lap!  If I have a day where I am sitting in my office for long periods of time, I'll set my phone timer for 45 minutes.  When it goes off, I get up and walk a lap around the large room that makes up our Adult Day Center.  That gives me a chance to stretch and an opportunity to interact with our clients and my staff.

6) Invite a co-worker to take a walk over lunch.  There are two great aspects to this idea besides adding movement to your day.  Inviting someone to join you adds accountability and gives you an opportunity to take your mind off of work and socialize.  There have been many times I've popped into our breakroom and several staff members are sitting in there in silence playing on their phones.

These ideas sound simple, but how often does a day go by that I don't do any of them?  More than I'd like to admit.  The key is being purposeful about it.  Making a conscious effort to get up and move.  Making healthy choices is a daily thoughtful decision.  It's something I have to do everyday.  So TODAY I choose to add more movement to my day!  Let's get up and go!