the wonderful evening full of sweets, the sumptuous Christmas dinners… December is full of temptations. This can be compensated for with a strict diet or running program, but these eight small steps will also take you a long way.
1. Have fun!
Did you eat more than expected on Sinterklaas Eve, Christmas or New Year’s Eve? Get rid of that guilt! As long as you maintain a healthy diet for the rest of the month, with enough exercise and not too many sweets, snacks or alcohol, you should be fine. Those who impose too many restrictions during the holidays, in fact, risk going astray in other periods.
2. Grocery list
Chocolate, Christmas wreaths and cheeses: the shops are often already full in November. How to resist all these temptations? Think about what you want to eat each day and make a shopping list before you go to the store. That way you’re less likely to succumb to all those goodies that are on display. And not only that, you also avoid buying too much and having to throw things away afterwards, or get rid of leftovers.
3. Taste the vegetables
Well-prepared vegetables are just as good as a grilled turkey or lamb chop, and they’re good for you, too. They provide many vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. People who eat lots of vegetables (and fruit) have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and colon cancer. Eating vegetables also provides few calories, but it has a satiating effect: you feel full faster and therefore automatically eat less than other more caloric foods. So fill at least half of your plate with vegetables at every meal, even during the holidays, and be creative. A salad beforehand, a soup, a stuffed omelette or tomatoes on croutons, anything is possible. By the way, raw vegetables are also good on the drinks table, as a low-calorie variation of chips, cheese and nuts.
4. Do the water change
Wine, beer (non-alcoholic), fruit juices and sodas: tasty, but high in calories, few nutrients and sometimes a lot of sugar. Therefore, alternate these drinks with water during a drink or dinner.
5. Chew well
Sometimes you’d forget it during an animated table conversation, but: Chew your food well, because that’s how saliva is made. Contains the digestive enzyme amylase, which ensures that nutrients are broken down and absorbed more easily. Chewing well also ensures you don’t overeat. How often should you chew? It depends on what’s in your mouth. Mindfully chew until the bite feels “good” to swallow.
6. Holiday month? Exercise month!
Exercise ensures that the intestines are “massaged” and blood flow improves. This way they get more oxygen and nutrients and can do their job well. Additionally, the gut muscles that provide the squeezing motions that “push” food through the intestines remain strong and flexible. So plan for daily exercise, even or maybe even especially during the busy December. Take a walk in the woods during the holidays, have a shuffleboard competition with the grandchildren… Also remember that every little thing helps. So carry that heavy shopping bag home, take the stairs to the shops or cycle to the mall.
7. Give leftovers to guests
Is there any food left over from your Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner? Make sure you have enough plastic containers around the house to give guests leftovers.
8. Get some fresh air
In December, it is often wet and inclement, and it gets dark early. Sometimes it would make you tired and gloomy, and therefore it is very tempting to stay indoors. But only going out gives new energy. Daylight sets your biological clock to the daytime setting, which means you sleep better at night.
Bron: Plusonline.nl
Did you eat more than expected on Sinterklaas Eve, Christmas or New Year’s Eve? Get rid of that guilt! As long as you maintain a healthy diet for the rest of the month, with enough exercise and not too many sweets, snacks or alcohol, you should be fine. In fact, those who impose too many restrictions during the holidays risk going astray in other periods Chocolate, Christmas wreaths and cheeses: shops are often already full in November. How to resist all these temptations? Think about what you want to eat each day and make a shopping list before you go to the store. That way you’re less likely to succumb to all those goodies that are on display. And not only that, you also save yourself from buying too much and having to throw things away afterwards, or having to get rid of leftovers. Well-prepared vegetables are as good as a roast turkey or grilled lamb chop, and they still taste good too. for you. They provide many vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. People who eat lots of vegetables (and fruit) have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and colon cancer. Eating vegetables also provides few calories, but it has a satiating effect: you feel full faster and therefore automatically eat less than other more caloric foods. So fill at least half of your plate with vegetables at every meal, even during the holidays, and be creative. A salad beforehand, a soup, a stuffed omelette or tomatoes on croutons, anything is possible. By the way, raw vegetables are also good on the drinks table, as a low-calorie variation of chips, cheese and nuts. Wine, beer (non-alcoholic), fruit juices and sodas: tasty, but contain a lot of calories, few nutrients and sometimes a lot of sugar. Therefore, alternate these drinks with water during a drink or dinner. Sometimes you’d forget it during an animated table conversation, but: Chew your food well, because that’s how saliva is made. Contains the digestive enzyme amylase, which ensures that nutrients are broken down and absorbed more easily. Chewing well also ensures you don’t overeat. How often should you chew? It depends on what’s in your mouth. Mindfully chew until the bite feels “good” to swallow. Exercise ensures that the intestines are “massaged” and get better blood flow. This way they get more oxygen and nutrients and can do their job well. Additionally, the gut muscles that provide the squeezing motions that “push” food through the intestines remain strong and flexible. So plan for daily exercise, even or maybe even especially during the busy December. Take a walk in the woods during the holidays, have a shuffleboard competition with the grandchildren… Also remember that every little thing helps. So carry that heavy shopping bag home, take the stairs to the shops or cycle to the mall. Is there any food left over from your Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner? Make sure you have enough plastic containers around the house to give guests leftovers. In December, it is often wet and inclement, and it gets dark early. Sometimes it would make you tired and gloomy, and therefore it is very tempting to stay indoors. But only going out gives new energy. Daylight sets your biological clock to the daytime position, so you sleep better at night.Source: Plusonline.nl
