Maintain, Don’t Gain this Holiday Season

Avoiding the Holiday Food Pitfalls

You’ve been working hard at watching your calories-recording fat intake, carbohydrates. You’ve been so good about moving your body more. Now it is THAT time of year and you fear losing your momentum. Here are some ideas to help you maintain the progress you made during the year.

· Don't arrive at a party starving; you're likely to overeat. Instead, before you leave home eat a piece of fruit, a small salad or a lean protein snack. Eating a healthful snack will prevent you from overindulging on cookies and egg nog.

· At the appetizer table, fill your plate three-quarters full with fresh vegetables and fruit. Reserve the remaining quarter for anything you want, so you don't feel deprived. A small taste will satisfy your craving and not throw you off course, remember moderation.

· Drink plenty of water; it helps reduce your appetite. Try to avoid alcoholic beverages, they are empty calories. If you must drink soda, try switching to diet. There are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 oz can of soda. Better yet, try sparkling water with a lemon or lime slice.

· When socializing, stay more than an arm’s length away from the food tables or if you must, if it is everywhere, then stand near the healthier snacks, the veggie tray, fruit platters or something you don’t like, avoid the temptation.

· If you are planning a party or there will be a company party, talk to the party planners about healthy meetings. It’s OK to tell them you are watching your food intake and request that some low-calorie, healthy foods are provided, and it is also OK to bring your own.

· “Taste is the number one reason why we make the choice to eat one food rather than another. So, here is the key to healthy holiday eating. Stop imagining that you have to give up your favorite holidays treats, like those once-a-year cookies made by a special relative. As soon as you even imagine being deprived, you want to eat more. Instead, plan to enjoy one or two cookies rather than a whole plate. To get the most flavor and pleasure from any food, slow down and savor every bite.” www.eatrightmontana.org November 2008



Winter Activity

Montana winters can be forbidding. What to do to keep your physical activity log showing 150 weekly minutes?

· Put on some music and dance

· Use the stairs at work

· Park the car a little farther away from the door you will be entering.

· Walk your dog; if your dog is overweight you are not getting enough exercise. It’s good for both of you. Make it a family activity. It’s a great de-stressor too.

· Weather too cold or icy to walk outside for a walking break at work? Walk around your office building. Use the stairs and walk thru the halls, be considerate of others who are at their desks working.

· If you live near a shopping mall, walk the mall. Some malls even have walking clubs; check with management to see if your mall has a walking group.

· There are free on-line physical activity programs such as America on the Move. Get your family or co-workers involved. http://aom3.americaonthemove.org/

· Did you know that laughter is a great form of physical activity and a great stress reliever? It can soothe aches and pains too and who doesn’t feel good after a good, hearty laugh?

Some final thoughts….

Don't quit if you slipped from your routine. Be kind to yourself, after all, you are human. Pick up where you would have left off and move on, without beating yourself up emotionally. We are our own worst enemy. So what if you had an ice cream cone? Moderation and good sense are key. Call a friend if you need to “confess” and then scrape your shoe and move on.

A Healthy Community Starts With You!

Here's something I found at the Trailhead to Health Summit in Billings I thought would be neat to share with you:

Change Yourself

• Set an example!!! Quit smoking, achieve a healthy weight, or take a walk 3 times a week. Be a leader with your actions
• Track your efforts and share your succes with as many people possible
• Use public transportation or bike to work
• Recycle
• Shop at farmers' markets
• Have regular health screenings
• Volunteer

Change Your Workplace

• Begin or expand a worksite health promotion program
• Remind employees to wash their hands with a sign or provide hand sanitizer
• Provide ample fruits and vegetables in the cafeteria
• Begin or exand an Employee Assistance Program, to help employees cope with stresses that may impact their work
• Provide free pedometers and sponsor physical activity challenges
• Encourage employee fitness breaks, as simple as a walk around the building
• Encourage employees to take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Offer blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screenings at the workplace
• Provide child care assistance for employees
• Offer discount gym memberships
• Include health tips in organization newsletters

Engage Your Neighbors

• Establish community gardens on your campus of in your neighborhood
• Encourage carpooling
• Organize local stream and park clean-ups
• Lead and promote group walks in your neighborhood
• Increase availability of affordable fruits and vegetables in underserved neighborhood meetings

Advocate For Policies

• Bike lande development
• LEED (Leadership in Engery and Environmental Design) guidelines for new buildings
• Reimbursement for treating nicotine addiciton
• Reduce portion sizes in cafeteria meals
• Daily physical education in the schools for students in grades K-12
• Design developments that promote walking and biking in city planning
• Healthy food and beverage choices in public vending machines
• Safe routes to and from schools for every child

Adapted from the Alliance for the Healthiest Nation

Personal Sustainablity Project (PSP)

I recently heard about the Personal Sustainability Project (PSP) and want to share it will all of you blog readers. The PSP looks at ways you can improve your own health while also making impacts on the world around and saving money (something that is becoming increasingly important). Most examples have taken place at work sites and the description below explains it from the work site point of view. However, it is something you could start with your family, friends or any social group.

Here is a description of the PSP:

The goals of the PSPs surround healthier eating and lifestyle habits, replacing inefficient lighting and home appliances with better ones, using environmentally-friendly and non-toxic home cleaning products, and getting involved in projects in one's community. The basis of PSP involves establishing self-initiated plans, so employees have numerous options and ideas from which to choose and create their own pledges towards improving their personal sustainability. This might include cutting out fast food, stretching or exercising several days a week, quitting smoking, and incorporating organic food into their diets. Some employers have created incentives, such as a reduced price on healthier meal options, should employees continue dining inside the store. The money saving incentive also carries over to pledging to become more energy efficient at home, turning off the television, and taking preventative health measures through fitness programs, all of which promise a little more savings in the bank.

Try to use the PSP when discussing ways to be more healthy as a family or how you can all work together to save money and help the environment.

This weekend, try walking to the grocery store instead of taking your car and you will be on the way to a more healthy and more sustainable future.

Another video tip

Sorry, but I have got to take the easy way out this week. Here is another video tip from Dr. Josh Klapow.

Video Tip

There is a new link in the links portion of the blog that I would like to introduce: Healthy Habits with Dr. Josh Klapow. On this site you can find a ton of resources that can assist with healthy behavior change. There are tips to help you continue healthy habits, tools that you can use, links to other valuable information and video clips designed to help individuals eliminate barriers to becoming healthy. Click on the picture below to view one of the many clips you can find on the site:

Enjoy!

Recipe of the Week

Broccoli Salad with Avocado

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 pound broccoli

1 ripe avocado

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grainy prepared mustard

Cooking Instructions:

Trim and wash the broccoli and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Steam or boil the broccoli in a large pot until it is just crunchy-tender and bright green, then drain it well, and cool. Peel and pit the avocado, then cut it into small cubes. Fold the avocado into the broccoli. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard together in a small bowl, until well mixed. Toss the broccoli and avocado with the dressing.

Nutrient Information:

Per serving

Calories 177

Fat 15 g

Saturated fat 2 g(76% of calories from fat)

Protein 4.6 g

Cholesterol 0 mg

Fiber 4.8 g

This recipe and others can be found here

Eat Right Montana

The February 2009 issue of Eat Right Montana provides some economical strategies to assist you with eating healthy, staying active and reducing waste. Click on the picture below to view the publication.