8 Tips To Stay Healthy Over 50 for Christmas and New Year’s

Despite Christmas is perhaps the most magical time of the year, it’s also the most glutinous, booze-filled, and, let’s be honest, stressful time of the year. December is full with temptations that can easily throw even the most dedicated health-conscious eater off track.

Small modifications might go a long way toward keeping you fit and healthy during the holiday season. No matter how good the buffet is, you should never go back for seconds. Slowly chew and savor each bite. When you’re conscious, it’s easy to avoid overeating. If you have the ability to choose your diet, don’t deprive yourself of anything, but make good food proportions larger than harmful options.

From now through New Year’s Day, your calendar is likely to be packed with family responsibilities, travel, and festive outings with a variety of delectable delights. It comes as no surprise that many of us gain weight during the Christmas season. Even the most self-disciplined individuals may struggle to maintain their health and wellness routines.

Adults above the age of 50 can curtail their risk of heart disease, obesity, and certain types of cancer by eating a nutritious diet

However, there are a few things you can do to be healthy during the season. Here are 8 tips to stay healthy over 50 for Christmas and New Year’s. Simply complete the eight steps outlined below to help you stay on track.

1. Healthy Snacking and Mindful Eating

It’s normal to underestimate the number of calories ingested in holiday snacks. You might be eating healthy at mealtimes, but your snack selections are wrecking it. Make an effort to keep track of how much you’re eating. Instead, eat more vegetables and fruits, which are fewer in calories, more satisfying, and healthier in the long run.

When it comes to dessert, stick to one or two items that you really enjoy rather than sampling everything on the table. You’ll have a lot of commitments over the holidays, but one of them isn’t gorging at every party or get-together.

Whenever you’re eating, take a moment to relax and be cautious of your favorite holiday flavors. Pay attention to the food’s flavor, and aroma. Redirect your focus back to your internal fullness and pleasure indicators when it wanders away from your body.

2. Keep yourself hydrated

Water makes up 60% of our body weight, so we need to stay hydrated to keep this ratio. Water is also required for a variety of body activities, including the maintenance of cell fluids and the delivery of nutrients.

The body does not function properly when it is dehydrated. Drinking water has numerous advantages, including boosting immunity, increasing energy, flushing out toxins, and enhancing skin tone.

Keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water. A simple approach to achieve this is to drink a glass of water after each alcoholic drink.

Increasing your water intake will keep you hydrated and prevent you from misunderstanding thirst with hunger, which will lead to mindless eating. This is a tried and true method. Water is a highly filling substance. You’re more likely to eat less of a meal if you drink two cups of water before it. It is recommended that you drink a lot of water before any meal during the holidays because there will be less room for anything else, resulting in a healthier you throughout the holidays.

Drink glasses of water in between your cocktails if you’re drinking alcoholic beverages over the holidays. The next morning, your body will thank you.

3. Refresh your holiday workout routine

Every day, set aside at least 15 minutes for exercise – walking, yoga, anything! Even a few minutes of exercise will rev up your metabolism. Make time for a quick five-minute meditation to focus on your body and slow down your breathing on days when you truly don’t have time.

Do a high-intensity workout in your living room if you can’t make it to your favorite gym class or don’t have time to go to the gym. Gliders and resistance bands are great gifts for the holidays – or to put on your wish list – because they help you sweat and burn calories in a short amount of time while taking up no room. Gliders engage muscles both eccentrically and concentrically, while bands provide resistance for a full-body workout.

4. Make time for yourself

Christmas is typically a challenging time to stay in shape, so keep your motivation and energy up by creating goals for yourself.

Don’t let the Christmas rush affect your mental and emotional well-being. Don’t put your needs on the back burner when you’re cooking, holiday shopping, or socializing. Take some time to rest and unwind, go on a walk, meditate, watch your favorite movie, or read a nice book — do at least one activity every day that brings you joy.

Also, get enough sleep. Shortchanging your sleep might disrupt your hormone levels in a way that favors weight gain and desires for less healthful food, on most evenings, try to obtain the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep.

5. Continue to move

Aside from remaining active, try to avoid sitting for long periods of time, such as while watching football or eating. Keep in mind that too much sitting is bad for your health. According to research, getting up for five minutes every 30 to 60 minutes and doing mild movement (such as pacing about the home or doing easy squat exercises) lowers the incidence of diabetes and other heart disease risk factors.

Enjoy the holiday, but don’t let it turn into a month of indulgence that leads to undesired habits that last beyond the season.

6. Do Not Stress Yourself

The holiday season can be extremely stressful for some people. Stress raises stress chemicals like cortisol, which leads to a desire for sweet, fatty foods. Instead of turning to food to relieve stress, try some yoga or get a massage. It’s also beneficial to try to figure out what’s generating your tension and eliminate the cause of the stress.

7. Make a change in mentality

Reframe the holiday season’s ‘now or never’ aspect. You can better control your eating choices when you de-mystify holiday food and know that you can enjoy it at any time.

After one overindulgent meal, don’t give up. Every now and then, everyone gets carried away, but don’t let it get the best of you. Take the next meal as a chance to eat more healthily. You’ll feel better now and after the holidays if you stick to your healthy practices.

8. Alcohol Consumption Should Be Limited

Prepare yourself to only drink one glass of wine or one bottle of beer. It’s difficult to say ‘No’ to another glass once you’ve had another; therefore, it’s always better to have a strategy and adhere to it. Drink sparkling water in between drinks to help cut down on alcohol consumption. This will relieve stress on your liver over the holidays and make you feel better in general.

Final Thought

From age 50 and over, your hormones won’t be as active as it was years back. Christmas is generally a time for celebrating, drinking excessively, and eating far more than one’s body weight! It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Overindulgence’s main dangers can be prevented. You can eat a little more healthily than usual at this time of year.

 

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