Green Bay – HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center encourage the community to enjoy the holiday season, but also maintain health. This time of year can be challenging to make healthy choices and limit weight gain, but eating well during the holidays is possible!
Here are nine ways to stay healthy this holiday season:
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Start your day off right. If you plan on treating yourself later, start your day with a small meal that includes whole grains, fruit, low-fat or fat-free dairy and protein like eggs, ham or peanut butter.
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Don’t starve yourself beforehand. Rather, eat a small, lower-calorie meal or snack such as fruit, nuts or a few whole grain crackers so you aren't tempted to overdo your calorie intake for the day.
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Avoid snacking throughout the day. Abide by the “out of sight, out of mind” slogan. Once you’ve filled your plate with food, cover up the food and put away.
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Be mindful. Keep a mental checklist of how much you're consuming and make a conscious effort to balance your plate with plenty of fruits and veggies. Choose carefully between foods you will eat, those you will sample and those you will skip.
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Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating and many alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.
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Don't rush to eat. Focus on friends and conversation, not on the food. Socialize and settle into the festivities before you make your plate. Move the socializing away from the buffet or appetizer trays as this will minimize unconscious nibbling.
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Be a great guest. Helping the host with dishes or serving drink allows you to be active and provides time away from the food. Your host will think you're great and it will help you stay true to your eating plan.
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Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve holiday stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased holiday eating.
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Take the focus off food. Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making wreaths, dough art decorations or a gingerbread house.
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About HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center
HSHS St. Vincent Hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center have been delivering quality health care to Green Bay and its surrounding communities since 1888. With HSHS St. Vincent being the largest tertiary care hospital and HSHS St. Mary’s location on Green Bay’s west side, patients from Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan benefit from a comprehensive range of services that include cancer care, women’s services, emergency and trauma care, preventive care across the lifespan, digestive health, orthopedic, cardiac care, neurosciences, rehabilitation and pediatrics. Affiliates of Hospital Sisters Health System, the hospitals primary purpose is to continue Christ’s healing love through the delivery of competent and compassionate health care in an environment sensitive to the needs of all people. Both hospitals are accredited by the Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
About Hospital Sisters Health System
Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high quality, Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our 15 Local Systems and physician practices in Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan, and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.