Tis the season to get together with family and friends, and attend parties at work and/or social clubs and organizations.  With food and drinks in abundance, not to mention candies, cookies, pies and cakes, it’s easy to let your healthy eating slide until January.

Here’s a challenge for you.  Select one or two of the following tips to use throughout this holiday season.

1. Start each morning with a healthy breakfast. It’s a fact that people who eat breakfast don’t allow themselves to get so hungry that they over-eat once they do eat their first meal of the day.

2. Eat at least two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables each day. For fruit, think apples, pears, bananas, oranges, berries, melons, etc. Your vegetables may be raw: carrots, celery, jicama, red peppers, peapods, broccoli, or cauliflower, or cooked, including cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, kale or Brussels sprouts. Or consider spinach, zucchini, winter squash or asparagus.

3. Eat a salad each day. Choose 2 cups or more of lettuce or greens (spinach or kale), add raw vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, jicama, carrots, etc., and a protein if desired (cooked beans, tuna, cooked salmon or chicken), or a tablespoon of almonds and top with a small amount of dressing.

4. Eat a serving of soup each day. Broth based with vegetables is preferable.  If making your own, add 1/2 cup cooked brown rice, 1/2 cup cooked whole grain noodles or 1/2 cup cooked beans to vegetable broth along with your vegetables.

5. Make water your drink of choice throughout your day. Drink a large glass of water before your meals and snacks or sip on water throughout your day.  For a hot beverage, consider tea, or hot water with lemon and honey.

Love, Health & Happiness,

Phyllis