Healthy Holidays and Vacations

We all enjoy the chance to share time with our family and friends, and to indulge with plenty of our favorite foods. But they are not always kind to our body and we end up feeling tired, bloated, and often hung over as well as having gained a few pounds. Here are some ways to make this a memorably lighter time for the whole family.


Don’t deprive yourself Holidays and vacations do not come often during the year, so go ahead and enjoy your favorite dishes. The trick is to enjoy them in balance. Include a few lighter dishes with each meal so you have healthier options rather than piling up your plate with too many fatty delights. Enjoy your favorites in moderation along with healthy veggies or a salad. Sweet endings The same goes for dessert. A big part of celebrations are the special sweets that are prepared. Enjoy your favorites, but balance them with a big fruit salad. Pair them with sorbets which are fruit and water based, and much lighter than ice cream with its fatty milk content. Drink up Beer, wine and spirits sometimes make up a large part of our fluid intake when we celebrate or are on vacation. Unfortunately, that leaves us dehydrated and hung over. Start your day with a couple of glasses of water and a squeeze of lemon juice. These will rehydrate you and kick start your liver so it can better manage the challenges to come. Fruit juices and water instead of alcohol and sodas will rehydrate rather than dehydrate you, lifting energy. If you are drinking alcohol, try alternating your alcoholic drinks with glasses of water or juice. Get the family moving Spending time with family is a luxury we don’t get to enjoy enough. Take the opportunity to get out for some exercise together. A ball game or a walk in the park is an invigorating start to the day and provides a change from our usual dinner table, television or homework-focused shared time. Eating lighter will also give you the energy to get up and move instead of dozing in front of the television. Share the load Meal preparation all too often involves Mom doing all the cooking and cleaning while Dad and the kids hang around. This leaves Mom exhausted while the kids go crazy and Dad piles on the pounds. Why not all share the preparation and clean up and make it a fun experience? Keeping everybody active together is healthier for everybody and makes the meal that much more satisfying. So don’t compromise on the festivities - dive into your holidays and vacations and make the most of the extra energy your healthy choices will provide. Help with the meal, enjoy your loved ones and head back to work refreshed!