News
Think Before You Eat: Mindful Nutrition For the Holidays
Most people only gain about two pounds from November to January. The problem is we don't lose the weight and it adds up to 20 pounds over 10 years! This is called weight creep."
If you visit Vail or live here every day seems like a holiday or reason to celebrate. So follow these 10 mindful guidelines to extend your cheer beyond the season:
- Don't skip meals especially breakfast. It jump starts your metabolism and you'll eat less throughout the day.
- Eat like a princess not a king. Fill ½ your plate with non-starchy veggies ¼ with lean protein and ¼ with fiber-rich grains or starches (tip: limit potatoes rice or pasta to 1 cup).
- Exercise for the health benefits and not just calorie burn (always check with your doctor first before starting an exercise program).
- Watch your liquid calories. Juice eggnog and alcohol add up (tip: one alcoholic drink=12 oz. beer or 5 oz. wine or 1-1/2 oz. distilled spirits). If you do drink the American Heart Association recommends no more than one drink a day for women or two for men.
- Enjoy special treats/foods you otherwise wouldn't eat year round (i.e. Enstrom's Toffee) and skip the foods you can live without (i.e. bread and butter).
- If you do over-indulge one day it's not the end of the world! Get some fresh air hydrate eat a healthy breakfast and move on.
- Stock up on healthy food options. Fill your home with seltzer water seasonal fruits and vegetables raw nuts edamame etc.
- Create memories. Focus on the people around you and less on the food buffet.
- Plan your meals. Even busy people can cook from scratchcrock pot meals and easy soups can be prepared ahead of time. Cut-up fruit and vegetables (stored properly) can last for 5 days.
- Sleep 7-9 hours/night. Lack of sleep disrupts hormones which affect appetite control and sets you up for overeating.
Did you know it takes 2 hours and 11 minutes of walking to burn off one Starbucks Peppermint Chocolate Mocha? Just something to keep in "mind." Happy holidays!
Author Katie Mazzia MS RD CDE is a nutritionist at Vail Valley Medical Center.
More News
-
New!
More
Advanced Preventive Screening with Dr. Melissa O'Meara
At the March 5 Wellness Series event, Dr. Melissa O'Meara recently spoke about advanced preventive screening and the rapidly evolving landscape of modern medicine.
-
New!
More
The Midnight Bathroom Run: Why It Happens and How to Stop It
If you’re waking up at night to pee, you’re not alone, and you’re not doomed to a lifetime of restless sleep. Nocturia, or nighttime urination, is one of the most common and under-discussed sleep disruptors, affecting both men and women, especially as we age. But according to Dr. Joseph Dall’Era, a urologist at Vail Health, it’s not something you have to simply “live with.” “Usually, we imply nocturia if the urge to urinate is what actually wakes people up,” Dall’Era explains. “For most people, getting up once a night isn’t a big deal. But if it starts to interfere with sleep quality or you notice a change in how often it’s happening, that’s worth a closer look.”
-
New!
More
Healing from the Inside Out: How Nutrition Supports Recovery
Whether you are recovering from a minor scrape, a sports injury or major surgery, what you eat can significantly impact how well, and how quickly, you heal. While your body is working hard to repair tissue, fight infection and restore strength, it needs the right fuel to do its job. Below are some simple ways to incorporate key nutrients into your diet to help your body repair itself.