‘Tis the season for family, festivity, and food- and a whole lot of it. Temptations are everywhere you turn, and constant parties, alcohol, and travel disrupt the normal day to day. Physio Logic’s Clinical Nutritionist, Michelle Miller, MSACN; and Nutritional Educator & Registered Dietitian, Rachel Naar, RD, offer some health smart tips to manage the holiday hullabaloo, during the most wonderful time of the year.
Health Smart Tip #1 – Don’t Skip Meals
- Saving your appetite for a big holiday party or feast? Please don’t.
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- Skipping meals during the day almost always results in overeating
- Include lots of fiber by eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains
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- Fiber-rich foods are high in volume and will satisfy hunger
Health Smart Tip #2 – Scan the Whole Buffet
- Do a scan of all the offerings so you can make informed decisions
- Try to make sure at least one thing on your plate is green
- Track your hunger cues, avoid eating standing up and without proper utensils
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- Chips and dips without a plate can lead to mindless munching
Health Smart Tip #3 – Rest Up
- 7-9 hours of sleep helps regulates hormones (ghrelin/leptin) which play a role in hunger/satiety
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- Leptin – Hormone, made by fat cells, that decreases your appetite
- Ghrelin -Hormone made by small intestine and stomach, that increases appetite
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- Signals hunger to the brain
- Increases when undereating/skipping meals, or with erratic eating patterns
- Sleep deprivation increases ghrelin (under 6 hours)
- Skip the late-night netflix binge
- Careful with caffeine
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- Overdoing can lead to excessive irritability, dehydration, and difficulty focusing
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- Try a decaf cappuccino with Oatly if you’re needing an additional cup of joe
Health Smart Tip #4 – Keep It Moving
- Find activities that don’t involve food
- Enjoy a walk before and/or after the festivities
Health Smart Tip #5 – Seek Professional Guidance
- Need help figuring out how to politely refuse Grandma’s push to fill your plate again?
- How about ways to stick with your personal lifestyle goals?
For your own personalized nutrition plan to tackle holiday food and stress, make an appointment with Michelle Miller of the Clinical Nutrition Department. Get started by filling out the form below.