How to stay fit, happy, and healthy this holiday

Make your holiday a healthy one with a little planning, creativity and the following tips.

Activities

• Invite visitors for a walk rather than sitting while catching up.
• Go for a night-time walk around the neighbourhood to see the Christmas lights.
• Start a new family tradition around activities rather than food. Make a craft, attend a dance, go caroling or volunteer together.

Snack Ideas

• Serve fruit or vegetable trays with a Christmas-colour theme. Fruits: strawberries, red and green apples and pears (dipped in lemon juice to preserve colour), red and green grapes and kiwi fruit. Vegetables: red peppers, green peppers, broccoli and cauliflower florets, snow peas, cherry tomatoes, jicama and radishes.
• Use cookie cutters to cut festive shapes out of slices of low-fat cheddar cheese (e.g. stars, snowmen, mittens); serve with whole grain crackers as a snack or appetizer.

Before events

• Offer to bring a fruit or vegetable tray to share.
• Eat a small balanced meal before the event to avoid showing up feeling hungry.
• Plan how many alcoholic beverages you will consume before you arrive.

At events

• Focus on enjoying the event rather than enjoying the food. Spend more time interacting with people or enjoying entertainment and less time focusing on food.
• Look before you leap. Check out all the options before you begin to fill your plate.
• Take your time when eating and savour each bite.

Beverages

• Choose lighter options like sparkling water with a twist of lemon or herbal tea.
• Have a glass of water before each alcoholic beverage you consume.