Published: November 24, 2009 01:37 pm      

Be healthy during the holidays

For some, the most strenuous activity during Thanksgiving and Christmas is not just the traveling – it’s the feasting.

A local diabetes educator said exercise after eating is best especially if one wants to keep from gaining excess weight.

“Take a holiday meal for instance, you need to know that you have choices,” said Sandy Ellington, Diabetes Educator for the Gateway District Health Department. “You can still make Uncle Joe’s favorite casserole and your nephew’s favorite cheesecake. It’s that time of year for it. You have to get up and exercise afterwards.”

Some families go out and play football or they go for a walk, Ellington said.

“You have to get into a habit of taking a brisk walk at least 150 minutes a week,” Ellington said. “It can be done 10 minutes at a time. Just as long as you get your 150 minutes of exercise in that week is what counts.”

Ellington said there are some simple exercises that can be done right in an individual’s living room.

“Take a fitness bar and lift it above your head so that your harms are spread evenly apart and then lower it to your waist and back up over your head,” she said. “Then take a couple cans of beans and use them like weights and do curls with them. Place a can in each hand with palms facing up and curl them like you were lifting actual weights. Do five repetitions of 10 curls. Then turn your palms over facing down with your elbows back, forearms and hands facing down with a can in each hand swing your arms backward. This helps to firm the extra fat that is on the arm. You can take a 10-minute break from a movie to do these exercises.”

Other exercises that are recommended are bike riding, dancing, house cleaning, playing doubles in tennis, and water aerobics. Some vigorous exercises include jogging, running, swimming laps, riding a bike fast or on hills, playing singles in tennis, basketball, gardening that involves digging and shoveling and Yoga.

People need to keep nutrition in mind when it comes to eating that holiday meal.

“Half of the plate should be vegetables instead of starches,” Ellington said. “When cooking, use chicken broth instead of oil or butter. Do your meal homemade that will help with making your meal more healthy.”

People’s intake of salt is above the recommended amount, she said. Cutting salt out of one’s diet does help with weight loss some because one can retain water if taking in too much salt, she said. Some people think that just because a can of pop says diet they assume it is healthy.

“Diet pop has just as much sugar, calories and sodium as regular pop does,” Ellington said. “It is not that healthy for you.”

It is customary to serve pop as a beverage during holiday meals. However, Ellington said that one should drink milk, juice or water with their meal rather than soda.

People need to be reminded that a small portion is key to weight loss and healthy eating, she said.

“An average person gains 7 to 10 pounds during the holidays,” Ellington added.

She encourages everyone to do the best they can to be healthy.

“Don’t be the average person,” Ellington said. “Be the exception.”

For more information, contact Ellington at 606-674-6396.