6 Pointers to Avoid Unhealthy Holiday Habits

6 Pointers to Avoid Unhealthy Holiday Habits

Kayal Orthopaedic Center Wants You to Stay on Track

A healthy diet and regular exercise are two of the most important ways to keep our bodies strong, fit and injury-free, but the holidays are filled with food-focused gatherings such as cookie baking, office parties and family dinners that can sabotage even the most disciplined among us.

Although we are smack dab in the middle of the hectic holiday season, it’s never too late to adopt strategies that help you achieve success. Kayal Orthopaedic Center, the exceptional choice for all of your sports medicine needs in Paramus, NJ, and beyond, firmly believes everyone deserves a few holiday treats and an occasional missed workout, but we also know that consistently making wise life choices is key to good health. So, we are offering the following tips to empower you through those holiday temptations.

  1. Don’t wing it. Holiday party coming up? Try eating a high-protein snack before you leave the house. Protein helps you feel full, which will make it easier to stick to your game plan and avoid overindulging. If you’re hungry, you’re more likely to overdo it.
  2. Don’t forget liquid calories. If you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to pile on the pounds with holiday drinks containing juices, milk, syrups and other sugary or high-fat ingredients. Choose a glass of wine or clear alcohol with club soda and a splash of cranberry juice or lime.
  3. Focus on family and friends, not food. One way to avoid rich, tempting foods is to plan events that aren’t centered around eating and drinking. Consider ice skating, painting, crafting, caroling, shopping or attending a holiday-themed show.
  4. Don’t confuse food with comfort. The holidays are a stressful time for many of us, so it’s important to resist the urge to use food as your source of comfort. Instead, catch up with an old friend, take a brisk walk, read a good book, listen to an interesting podcast—or choose another activity you enjoy (that isn’t focused on food).
  5. Move! Move! Move! When the shopping, baking, wrapping and cooking duties pile up, it’s tempting to put your workout on the back burner. Don’t. Exercising helps keep your life in balance. Stay active any way you can, including parking farther away from your destination, using stairs instead of escalators/elevators and combining TV time with a quick workout.
  6. Don’t skimp on sleep. Inadequate sleep can negatively affect your health and contribute to weight gain. Sleep deprivation has other damaging effects, including poor concentration, lower immunity and increased risk of illness. Make sleep a priority.

The skilled and experienced members of the Kayal Orthopaedic Center team would like to wish you and those you love a blessed and joyful holiday season. We want you to live your best life and are here to do our part when you need our exceptional orthopaedic services.

Schedule Your Appointment Today!

To schedule an appointment with our highly trained sports medicine team in Westwood, NJ, call 844.777.0910 or contact us on the web. We’re also conveniently located in Franklin Lakes, Glen Rock, Paramus, Paterson, Garfield and North Bergen, NJ, and Stony Point, NY.