Here in the United States, today is Thanksgiving. We are going to think of all the things we’re thankful for. In addition to family and close friends, I hope everyone has good health. And while we’re considering health let’s think of what we can do to stay healthy or get healthier, even during the holidays.
Are you watching your weight? Because packing on extra pounds won’t be good for our bodies, or our brains. Have you been working on reducing your carbohydrate intake? Good for you. But sometimes during the holidays we do some not particularly healthy things that we think will help us. They don’t. Don’t do these things…
- – skip meals, especially if we’re doing it to save up and splurge later at a holiday event. How is skipping meals bad? It can lead to uncontrollable food cravings. That makes you more vulnerable to any easy foods you can grab, even if they’re not low carb. (Maybe especially if they’re not low carb). Eat three meals and low carb snacks. Make each meal smaller than usual, with fewer carbs and more protein. Eat before you go to a gathering. That way you’ll be less vulnerable to making bad choices. Bring a low carb dish or two so you’ll be certain to have something healthy to eat and share with others.
- – eat fast to get away from the food as soon as possible. Eating fast causes problems. First of all, if you’re hungry you’ll be more likely to overeat. Second, it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full. That is called the point of satiety. Eat slowly and you’ll let your brain catch up and realize you’re full before you eat too much and end up feeling stuffed. You’ll be more likely to eat less. Focus on protein and you’ll feel full faster. That is one of the cornerstones of an effective low carb diet.
- – avoid nuts because they’re high in fat. Yes, they may be high in fats, but if you’re not allergic, they should definitely be a part of your low carb lifestyle. They are high in fiber and will help you feel full. Research has shown that people who ate 1 ounce of nuts about 30 minutes before their main meal tended to eat a lot less and were generally more successful at losing weight. Nuts are fully of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Walnuts can help lower cholesterol naturally. Eat raw nuts rather than salted to avoid weight gain due to water retention.
- – eat less in order to give yourself an allowance for alcoholic drinks. Alcohol has no nutritional value. Also, it can trigger food cravings — “the munchies”. And some drinks are high in carbs and calories, exactly what you’re trying to avoid. Even worse, if you eat on an empty stomach, that alcohol enters your bloodstream more quickly. That will cause you to feel the effects sooner. This can make you act less inhibited in terms of food and behavior. You don’t really want to be the one in the pictures, or on Facebook or Instagram, dancing on the table with the lightshade on your head, do you? The last thing you want to do is make a fool of yourself in front of work colleagues, friends and family. (Well, maybe you don’t care about family — they already know you). Not to mention the rest of the world, especially since some of the evidence may remain forever. And you definitely don’t want to ruin your healthy lower carb lifestyle for one silly party.
So, don’t skip meals. Eat before you go. If you do have a drink, drink 1 glass of water first, then the alcoholic drink, and then a second glass of water. That will keep your mouth busy, fill you up, and make you less likely to overindulge in food or alcohol at the event.
Avoid these not very healthy holiday habits and see the difference it can make in keeping you in control of your low carb healthy lifestyle, even during the holidays.
Every day…..Say NO To Stroke!
