Post-Holiday Regroup
After a holiday season filled with indulgent sweets and high calorie beverages, it’s difficult for some to get back into the routine of healthy eating. Here are a few great tips on how you can regroup after the holidays and get back on track.
- Start the day off with a healthy breakfast. Eating a well-balanced breakfast will start your day on a lighter note, as opposed to eating a sugary meal that will create the craving for sweets for the rest of the day. Why not try something new, like eggs with avocado and toast? The eggs will provide you with protein to keep you feeling full. The avocado alone contains a wide variety of nutrients, such as twenty different vitamins and minerals, including fiber and healthy fats. For your toast, choose whole grain.
- Stay Hydrated. After celebrating, it’s easy to find yourself dehydrated. Drinking water throughout the day will help to rebalance your system. Stay hydrated by drinking half your body weight in water, or approximately eight glasses of water. Add fruit or lemon to help the detoxification process.
- Adjust Snacking. Snacking on healthy foods throughout the day can help curb your appetite and prevent you from overeating during your next meal. Here are some suggestions for healthy snacks: whole wheat crackers with hummus, apples with peanut butter, trail mix with no sodium and dried or fresh fruit. All are high in fiber and contain healthy fats.
- Exercise. Get back into the mindset of working out by going for a walk during your lunch break; you will burn a few calories from lunch and feel better stretching your limbs after a morning of sitting at your desk. To further keep you motivated during the week, pack your gym bag and keep it in the car so you can go straight to the gym right after work.
- Change up dinner. Studies have shown that food eaten during the night or late evening is more likely to be converted into fat. Try eating dinner a little earlier -or switch your meal intake to a fuller lunch and lighter dinner -so that you have more time to burn off the calories from your meal. Some examples of a light dinner are salad with grilled chicken, vegetable wrap and salmon with roasted vegetables and quinoa. Always make sure to add a larger portion of vegetables and plant-based protein to your meals for added health benefits.