3 Tips to Keep Healthy during the Holidays

The holiday season is here! It is time for colorful foods with scents that beckon memories, music that is designated for certain seasons and token symbols like the turkey or Christmas tree posted on every decoration. 

Each year the holiday season approaches and a conversation of when to say “no” or how to watch food portions hangs in the midst of grand delicacies that make mouths water. We feel the weight of this conversation and have good news: you can have your cake and eat it too. Holidays do not have to mean depriving you or your loved ones of the relished foods, it simply means implementing basic disciplines to cruise through the holidays with happiness and health. After some research in and out of the office, here is yet another three-step guide piece on holiday food:

1.       Prepare for the Party

Arriving to an event hungry with delicious, yet high in calorie, foods will be a mistake. Make sure to grab a small snack before the buffet begins. This does not mean show up without an appetite, but having something previously on your stomach will help when decisions at the food table need to be made. The light snack should be a healthy selection that is high in water content, which will fill you up faster. If you want to contribute to the spread, maybe suggest bringing a healthy dish!

2.       Stay Active at Any Cost

Holidays not only meaning more food but also more people, so getting time to exercise might be difficult. Regardless, keep activity on the priority list. This could mean fitting in a work out right before the big meal or party. The food will not only be festive but also a reward after working hard. Another suggestion is multi-tasking during errands. When the grocery store calls and a jog is put on the back burner, walk swiftly and engage your core during lifting. These may seem silly, but the smallest burst of activity will help with health and usually supply more energy.

3.       Choose Your Calories Carefully

If this season is the only time you indulge in these treats, be wise in your selection. Try to steer away from eating calories that are common all year round and taste the pumpkin pie, gingerbread cookies or eggnog. Be aware of portions and the fact that beverages contain calories! When hosting a party, you might even decide to grab smaller serving utensils and skinnier glasses. Choose carefully and appreciate each dish on your plate.

Lastly, take time to enjoy the holidays and all that it brings. ‘Tis the season to find joy with your loved ones and let the memorable food enhance the experience. Take in the sights, scents, and sounds. Holidays aren't meant to set you back, but push you forward into the new year.

Sources:

http://www.thedeserve.com/964-real-men-cook-kitchen-too.html

http://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/eat-healthy-during-holidays-10000001683797/

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/4-ways-to-eat-healthy-during-the-holiday-season.html#b

http://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/10-strategies-to-prevent-the-holiday-bulge

3 Easy and Healthy Meals for the Weekend

It has been a long week! The saying “Thank God It’s Friday” should be paired with nothing less than a filling and colorful salad or prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with a side of arugula. These are only a few of the several recipes we have come across and liked, but here are some that we wanted to highlight!

*Exact portions or ingredients will vary with each individual. Readers should only follow the exact listings of these recipes if ingredients are approved by one’s physician or nutritionist. Feel free to comment or contact Blossom Bariatrics for alternatives!

Orange and Avocado Salad

Ingredients Include:

·         Mixed salad greens

·         Orange segments

·         Sliced avocado

·         Sliced red onion

·         Cilantro-lime vinaigrette

·         Walnuts (optional)

All that is needed to prepare this appetizing salad is tossing the ingredients together. Delish sets you up for the smooth taste of avocado next to the tangy presence of orange segments, creating diverse flavors for your pallet. Missing the presence of meat? We have identified another salad recipe that possesses similar elements but produces a different spice.

Shrimp and Cobb Salad

Ingredients Include:

·         Bacon

·         Shrimp

·         Paprika

·         Black pepper and salt

·         Lemon Juice

·         Olive Oil

·         Dijon mustard

·         Cherry Tomatoes

·         Carrots

·         Corn

·         Avocado

Cooking Light offers an easy way to incorporate several small ingredients in a dynamic dish. Cook the bacon in one skillet while also cooking the shrimp, pepper and paprika in another skillet until finished. While the meat is getting prepared, mix the salt, lemon juice, oil and mustard in a bowl and toss the lettuce in last for coating. Mix the cooked bits of meat, covered lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, corn and avocado together to finish and enjoy the well-crafted masterpiece. If there are left-over shrimp or another party wants a different dish, the prosciutto-wrapped shrimp is a great example of a healthy hearty meal that is fairly easy to prepare, low in calories and fully satisfactory.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp w/ Arugula

Ingredients include:

·         Olive oil

·         Lemon juice

·         Clove garlic

·         Salt and ground pepper

·         Baby arugula

·         Jumbo shrimp

·         Slices of prosciutto

Eating Well instructs to throw the oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and use as coating for the baby arugula. Peel the shrimp, wrap each one with one strip of prosciutto and cook with butter in a skillet until the sight and scent is pleasing! Pair the cooked shrimp and coated baby arugula with some small pieces of bread and you have a holistic, healthy and tasty meal.

All three of these dinner options are wonderful choices, representing a well-deserved award welcoming you into the weekend. 

Sources:

http://www.orchidislandjuice.com/our-passions/orange-avocado-salad/

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/prosciutto_shrimp.html

http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/20-minute-salad-recipes-00400000044717/page9.html

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/orange-avocado-salad-recipe