Dear Red Hot Mamas- December 2018

By: Red Hot Mamas

Published: December 12, 2018

“Love the giver more than the gift.”

–       Brigham Young

I hope that this holiday season you make the time for relaxing and celebrating with your family and friends.

Unfortunately, many of us are feeling stressed, shopping for the perfect gifts, participating in a string of activities which we don’t do throughout the year, as well as overeating.  All these things put our health in jeopardy during the holiday season.

I know that I tend to overeat during the holidays.  Those Christmas cookies are so hard to resist!  The result is that I start looking like Santa Claus (without the beard) because of the weight I’ve gained during the holiday season.   And, in my case, it’s so darn difficult to get that weight off after I’ve packed on those extra pounds.

Here are some things that has helped me enjoy the holidays without gaining weight:

I cut out alcohol, sugar and eat lighter several days before I know I have an event to go to.

I don’t wear loose fitting clothes.  I do this simply because if I overeat, then I won’t feel it if I’m wearing loose pants or a loose top.  This keeps me accountable to my wardrobe.

I serve myself golf ball portions of food on my plate.  And, I try not to go for seconds.

I drink lots of water.  And, yes I do indulge in holiday spirits, wine in particular, but I limit it to two glasses and drink water in between those glasses of wine.

If I’m cooking for guests, I send home care packages of food and deserts, so I can get rid of all the temptations of eating those leftovers.

And, be aware that those heavy meals, as wells as holiday stress, can particularly be unhealthy for your heart.  Its sets up a perfect storm for heart attack risk factors.

So, keep in mind, doing everything in moderation is crucial during the holidays.

And, in closing, don’t forget to get a good night’s sleep.  Skimping on sleep can lower your immunity, cause weight gain, as well as increase your stress level.  Make sleep a priority.

Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

Good Health to You All,

Karen Giblin