Med Center, dietitian advise on healthy holiday habits

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- If you’re ready to dive into your holiday meal or you are already warming up those leftovers, health experts say that balance is the key to maintaining healthy holiday habits.

Like most Thanksgivings, eating is one of the top priorities. You may have found yourself eating a lot more than normal, but there are a few things to keep in mind while consuming some of your holiday favorites.

Sarah Widener, the health and wellness director with Med Center, shares how it all begins.

Widener says, “What happens is when Halloween starts, it kind of begins the eating season and then we really kick it off at Thanksgiving and then we just let it all go until Christmas, and so when the new year gets here, we’re like, those 5 pounds come from?”

Overeating is extremely common during the holiday season. It can be caused by different triggers like family, stress, traveling and trying to maintain a budget. Another health expert tells us some of the effects of not balancing what we eat.

Shorus Minella, a dietitian with Gale Heart Vascular Institute, describes the outcome of not maintaining your stress.

Minella says, “If we are not in control of the stress, sometimes that could turn over into eating. Sometimes people use a way, use eating as a way of comfort or to deal with that stress. So that’s when mindful eating really comes into play for you to stay on top of the stress and make sure it doesn’t lead to unhealthy habits.”

Aside from food, there are more things to worry about than unhealthy eating. There is also consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol.

Widener  also shares, “As far as alcohol goes, you know, really watch what you’re drinking. So things that are higher in calories like margarita stock or these things made with juices, you really want to be careful with those, so minimize the amount of those so that you’re cutting down on the sugar and therefore the calories in those beverages.”

Minella says, “I see what a big difference it makes in people’s lives when, you know, you not only focus on, you know, your medication regimen taking that correctly, but also understanding that food plays a real big part in your overall wellness.”

Dieticians recommend practicing healthy lifestyle habits year-round with adequate sleep exercise and food but especially during the holidays when it may be more important to be mindful of what you choose to indulge in.