Ways to Stay Healthy During the Holidays
*Any information in this article does not substitute for your health needs, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician or medical professional for your needs. This information is not presented by a professional or an expert.
All year-round, we are waiting for the season of holidays to fill our tummies with delicious food and hearts with lots of love. It is no doubt that the holidays make us less healthy than usual. In times of this season, it is important to be mindful of what we input and output of our bodies. Including food, energy, activity, and emotions. The superior aim for the holidays is to maintain a healthy body.
Have you ever felt overfull, bloated or felt your stomach expand an inch after a holiday dinner with your family and friends? Weight control during the holidays is a battle of self-control and consistency. Overeating is a relative term for eating more than normal in the absence of manipulation of a condition. It is commonly understood as eating more than needed or desired. There are many distractions and triggers that lead to the abandonment of diet goals for a short amount of time to indulge in the foods that have been kept off-limits. Including emotions, alcohol, cognitive load/distraction, and sensory (seeing or smelling tempting foods). Sustaining overeating habits over a long period of time becomes a health risk. Obesity is one of the effects of long-term overeating that have become an epidemic health condition.
Active overeating is being aware of what, when, where, and how we eat considering all conditions at the moment. This type of eating is induced by a number of conditions including natural appetite, appetite regulation, inappropriate psychological response to stress, or a disruption of the hypothalamic satiety center which suppresses a desire for food when stimulated. Marketing encourages “all-you-can-eat” consumption of impulsive portions that carry no relationship between the energy needs of the consumer. This type of overeating can be addictive, and a response to stress. Active overeating is a lesser contribution to overall levels of obesity compared to passive overeating.
Passive overeating refers to low levels of energy caused by modern living and consists of greater energy density from the high-fat diet. When you are eating, you might ask yourself questions. In passive eating, you are not aware of your energy needs and food intake. Passive overeating is excessively eating foods that are high in fat because the body recognizes the caloric content of rich foods more slowly. This can lead to eating more than usual to an extent of discomfort.
There are numerous effects of overeating that are associated with your cardiovascular health, insulin, and storage of fatty tissues. Pointing out the negative effects of overeating that are experienced after overeating which include bloating, constipation, gas, increased thirst, tiredness, sleepiness, and in long-term weight gain. This is all due to the expansion of the stomach when you eat more than your body carries on a normal basis. The holidays can stimulate the desire for food because of the tempting food on our dining tables. Overeating can cause the adverse effects of high glycemic loads in relation to coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which your body cannot make sufficient amounts of insulin, or does not use the insulin properly. In Canada, type 2 diabetes affects 90% of diabetes cases in Canada. The exocrine substances from the fat tissues can be altered from high levels of fatty acids which are known to modulate insulin resistance. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a condition that is a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. There are greater chances of coronary heart disease, stroke and other blood vessel targeted conditions associated with this condition. The ideal, first-line therapy for individuals with MetS is lifestyle modification. Diet and exercise are important lifestyle components because it is altered to create a negative energy balance that helps reduce obesity. Aerobic training enhances the cardiovascular system, and HITT workouts are a great option for individuals with a busy lifestyle.
Around the holidays, diet and exercise programs are usually discontinued resulting in improper health habits that reappear. There are many guilty pleasure moments with food and other delicacies around the holidays. And then the new year resolution to lose weight kicks in. How do you maintain healthy habits despite holidays? How do you hold on to self-control and determination in times of pressure? How do you surpass the tempting smells and looks of attractive foods?
In order to stay healthy during the holidays, you have to put in the effort for results to take place. Your willpower is tested through the meals and hours of the days of the festive season. Establishing healthy habits should be a priority before contemplating healthy habits after overeating. If you know there is a dinner or a meal, be aware of your emotions and acknowledge your hunger before indulging in food. Listen to your body. There are many cues that present hunger, thirst, and other basic essential needs. Ask yourself, is it necessary to eat more? If not, allow yourself to be okay with that because there are many individuals on the same path as you.
When eating with others, we are guided by what and how much others eat. Usually, we try not to exceed the amount others are eating, hence limiting our intake. However, when we are instructed to eat a lot whether directly or indirectly, eating more might appear to be unattractive, lacking self-control, or unfeminine. Furthermore, younger people who generally follow healthier diet habits, overeat compared to others. This leads them to feel worse about themselves, being dissatisfied with their bodies, and lower self-esteem (Polivy). Therefore, mindful eating should be implemented to ensure that you are eating according to your needs.
Grab your device to find apps that help you follow a routine and decide whether they are benefiting you or not. Over decades of new apps, there are many apps that provide guidance on eating healthy, exercise training, and even keeping track of your daily habits. Additionally, keeping a food and exercise journal can also be beneficial. During the holidays, you can easily analyze your input and be able to decide what changes need to make to maintain your health. Compensating during the day or after your meal for when you overeat is not an appropriate way to add up to a “normal” caloric intake. In fact, the effects of overeating still appear despite controlling your hunger. On top of that, it is important to stay hydrated as holiday foods that contain higher levels of salt and sugar, can make you feel more thirsty. Also, water keeps your hunger or desire for food under control. Water can be looked at as a buffer for your meals.
Holidays are predictable as it comes around every year. During your next holiday binge, prepare yourself to be healthier. Here are some habits you can develop to do just that:
Quality Over Quantity
Focus on eating healthier than eating more. There are many alternatives to rich content food that might not be the best version of a meal to fulfill your fitness goals. Whenever there is a chance to make a swap for something that will maintain the dish the way it is, take that chance! There is no better feeling than knowing that the food you are eating is guilty-free.
Challenge yourself
It is considered normal to set goals all-year-round regarding your fitness. Why not the holidays? Looking after yourself and being mindful of what you eat and do are all that matters. Bring in the motivation to be healthier and achieve your goals without abandoning them during the holidays.
Have a buddy
Tag someone along who has the same goals as you. Throughout the holidays, you can continue to encourage each other and exchange some advice on being more healthy.
Do activities!
Activities allow you to distract yourself from food and actually spend some time with your family and friends and enjoy it! There are endless lists of things you can do during the holidays. Including arts and crafts, decorating, making gingerbread houses, watching a holiday movie, carolling, a fun game night, or a virtual celebration!
Start or continue your fitness journey at any time of the year. Let’s explore our mindfulness during meals and increase physical activity to achieve your fitness goals that have been pushed until the day after New Year’s Day. Your fitness goals matter, even during the holidays.
Sources Cited:
Bowden, O. (2019, December 06). It’s hard to stay healthy during the holidays — here’s how tech can help. Retrieved December, 2020, from https://globalnews.ca/news/6254575/holiday-health-wellness-aps/
C. (n.d.). Type 2 diabetes. Retrieved December, 2020, from https://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes/type-2.
Metabolic syndrome. (2019, December 3). Retrieved December, 2020, from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/metabolic-syndrome/
Prentice, A. M. (2001). Overeating: the health risks. Obesity research, 9(S11), 234S-238S.
Polivy, J., & Herman, C. P. (2020). Overeating in Restrained and Unrestrained Eaters. Frontiers in Nutrition, 7.
Ramirez-Jimenez, M., Morales-Palomo, F., Ortega, J. F., Moreno-Cabañas, A., Guio de Prada, V., Alvarez-Jimenez, L., & Mora-Rodriguez, R. (2020). Effects of Exercise Training during Christmas on Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Health in Overweight Individuals. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(13), 4732.
Seven Simple Habits for Healthy Holidays. (2017, December 20). Retrieved December, 2020, from https://www.orthocarolina.com/media/seven-habits-for-highly-healthy-holidays. Updated 6 December 2019
About the Author: Harneet Sumal is a passionate writer and learner close to the end of high school. Healthcare is very important in her life and strives to do good for the community by volunteering at the hospital and the local library. Reading the latest young adult novels, watching movies, and running are among her favourite things to do during her free time. She aspires to help others, travel and enjoy life.
