This Holiday Season Focus on Friends and Family, not Food

By Gabrielle Kirk
TRICARE Management Activity

December 07, 2009: It’s easy to over-indulge during the holiday season. It’s a time when everyone whips up their most decadent recipes and heads to gatherings with family, friends and co-workers. Starting at Thanksgiving, many people find themselves with busy social calendars and less time to eat at home and maintain their regular fitness schedule.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found the weight people gain during the fall and winter seasons is generally not lost during the rest of the year. Gaining just one pound may not sound like much, but over 20 years it could mean weighing an additional 20 pounds just from holiday indulgences.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offer these tips for having a healthy holiday season:

If you're heading out to a party, eat a light, healthy snack before you go. This will help curb your hunger and decrease your visits to the buffet table.

Modify your favorite holiday recipes to reduce the amount of fat and calories. Opt for low-fat cheese or vegetables in place of meat.

Bring a healthy holiday dish to the party to help everyone eat a little lighter.

Limit your alcoholic beverage intake. Alcoholic drinks can have many calories, especially holiday favorites like eggnog. Cut or limit your alcohol calories by drinking more water.

Find fun and creative ways your friends and family can spend time being active instead of eating. Be sure to spend time together that doesn't revolve around a meal.

Sign up for a 5K walk or run to keep your mind focused on physical activity goals. Maintain your physical activity during the holidays — better yet, try to be more active! It will make those New Year’s resolutions even easier to attain.

Practice balance and moderation and the only reminders of holidays past can be happy memories with family and friends. TRICARE’s “Get Fit” Web page at http://www.tricare.mil/getfit/ has helpful information for beneficiaries looking to lead a healthier lifestyle. Beneficiaries can also visit http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight for more information from CDC about attaining and maintaining a healthy weight, and http://www.smallstep.gov for 100 tips toward a healthier lifestyle.