Good nutrition starts with YOU and your food choices
Making
the right choices can be a challenge especially around any holiday. Some tips
to help you succeed in making healthy choices for all your “get togethers” as
well as every day include:
- Drink Water! Water will help you stay hydrated while making you feel more full. This may in turn decrease how many calories you consume. Water provides a healthier choice to empty liquid calories such as those found in sodas.
- Keep Moving! Take a walk, stand and interact, or even pump your ankles or march in place if you are sitting. This may seem silly but these little habits can increase the calories you burn and promote overall fitness.
- Prepare and Plan Your Meals to Limit Empty Calories. Include healthy choices such as vegetable trays or dishes made with lean protein such as fish. Include healthy snack options like yogurt and fruit to help avoid higher calorie snacks. Don’t skip meals! This can lead you to feel hungrier than normal and in turn increase the tendency to make poor choices.
- Leave Leftovers! It is okay to stop eating when you are no longer hungry—even if there is food left on the plate!
- Adopt Substitutions. Fat free or low fat options such as low fat milk, using egg whites instead of yolks, and substituting greek yogurt for sour cream are just some of the substitutions that can help you create a more nutritious meal.
At meal time, stick with non-processed foods when
possible such as lean meats and vegetables. Avoid the “empty calories” by
opting for water or unsweet tea instead of soda for example. And eat frequent
small meals or choose a healthy snack between meals such as an apple so that
you don’t arrive at mealtime overly hungry. Poor nutrition can impair our daily
health and well-being and reduce our ability to lead an enjoyable and active
life. This is especially true around the holidays with so many poor food
choices available but with proper preparation and a healthy mindset, you can
navigate these temptations with ease. At St. Mark Village our reputation is well founded. For over thirty years, St. Mark Village has provided an exciting blend of senior living options to meet the needs of Suncoast residents in all stages of life. Give us a call for more information 727-785-2580
