Kent State Expert Offers Tips on Staying Healthy This Holiday Season

With the holidays approaching, it’s easy to lose track of good eating habits and smart lifestyle choices. Kent State University Associate Professor and Dietician Natalie Caine-Bish offers some sound advice on how to keep the holidays healthy and fun.

“Between holiday celebrations and cold, un-motivating weather, a two-to-five pound weight gain is common,” Caine-Bish said. “And once people gain that weight, they typically don’t lose it after winter.”

Caine-Bish would like to share her top five helpful holiday nutrition tips:

1.      Never go to a party hungry. Plan ahead as soon as you wake up. If you know you’ll be going to a party later where you might indulge a bit, get your fruits and vegetables in early in the day, and keep it light on the calorie and carbohydrate intake.

2.      Be aware of the alcoholic beverages you are consuming. A lot of people do not realize how much sugar, fat and calories are in the beverages alone—not to mention the food they are eating, too.

3.      Bring your favorite healthy holiday trays to every celebration. By doing so, it will give you healthy options that you know you enjoy. Let’s face it, how many holiday celebrations do you attend where fruit plates trump cookie and dessert plates?

4.      Be cautious of what’s in your favorite holiday latte. Coffee shops are known for their delicious mint, caramel and gingerbread lattes this time of year. Did you know a venti Salted Caramel Mocha from Starbucks has 550 calories? Ask for non-fat milk, no whipped cream or no sugar.

5.      Make exercising fun. Go sled riding or skiing with your family. Turn these fun winter activities into a tradition of spending time together.

“Focus on simply maintaining your weight,” Caine-Bish said. “We must remember that holidays are about spending time with our families, not food.”

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Media Contacts:
Natalie Caine-Bish, ncaine@kent.edu, 330-672-2197
Bob Burford, rburford@kent.edu, 330-672-8516