Staying Healthy During The Holidays

We are in the midst of the Holiday Season! Let's face it, if we only ate (even if we overate) Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner, we would all survive. However, we know the reality is that the "Holiday Season" starts with the candy we buy in advance in September for Halloween. We break into the bag early (for one little piece), then eat so much that we need to buy more once Halloween rolls around! Then we're still eating it well after Halloween is over!

We are in the midst of the Holiday Season! Thanksgiving dinner means Thanksgiving dinner and days of leftovers. When my husband and I lived closer to our families we ate two Thanksgiving dinners on two different days so both of our families could have the joy of celebrating with us!

We are in the midst of the Holiday Season! December is a month of Holiday parties. They come in the form of dinners, cocktail parties, brunches and buffets. When I was an elementary teacher we celebrated with breakfast before school started for the day. The food stayed in the teacher's lounge and turned into lunch for some of us!

We are in the midst of the Holiday Season! I think you are getting the point: New Year's, Valentine's Day and Easter come next. Before we know it, we have been celebrating (with food at the center of it all) for 8 months!

With the events you'll be attending, there are ways to make, if not the greatest choices, at least better choices.

Tips:

#1. Choose carefully which events you will actually attend. You may feel obligated to make it to every party to which you are invited. Look at your options and go to the ones you are looking forward to. For the ones that you feel obligated to go to i.e.: the one's you don't really want to go to...don't go.

This will cut down on the amount of unhealthy food you'll consume. This decision will also lighten your stress load. You have more to do during the holidays but NOT more time to do it. You'll be missed at the party but the host (unless it's your mother) isn't going to dwell on your absence.

#2. For the events that you do attend, don't ask what you can bring to the party. Bring something healthy so you'll be assured there will be one healthy option. Check out my recipe section for ideas. Roasted Butternut Squash is always a hit during colder weather. Click here for the recipe.