It happens every holiday season: we all hit the cookie jar a li’l more often than we should and resolve to eat better in the New Year. Here’s how to make some super-simple changes to your habits and improve that diet. You’ll have tons more energy and will just feel better. Buh-bye holiday pounds (and total sugar addiction!)
For your first meal
Stock up! Skipping breakfast just leads to poor eating later in the day. Start your morning with a steamy bowl of oatmeal or quinoa (check out our
how-to here.) Add some almonds and banana wheels to keep you satisfied until lunch.
In the caf
Skip the long line and pack your own midday meal. Try sacking a whole-wheat pita pocket with lotsa veggies and hummus or some leftover turkey and a slice of cheese for a higher-protein main course. Too-sweet choices like PB&J or chocolate milk and cookies will just set you up for a sugar crash as soon as the next period starts. Healthy, whole foods like apples, carrot sticks or a hard-boiled egg will give you the brain power to get through the day.
When you’re starving—and din is hours away
Snacking can actually be good for you—if you do it right (you’ll be less likely to go totally nuts when you actually eat if you keep yourself from getting totally famished). Try a pear, whole-wheat English muffin with nut butter, string cheese or a handful of almonds for a filling bite. Homemade soup or a bit of yogurt are some of our fave go-to’s as well.
At the dinner table
After a lot of overeating at the holidays, make a point to avoid seconds. Instead, load up on crisp veggies and lean proteins, like chicken, fish or tofu. If your fam dishes up boxed mac ‘n’ cheese or delivery pizza regularly, make a point to sneak veggies into the meal. For the pasta, toss in some peas or tomatoes. For pizza, sprinkle on arugula or whatever greens you dig.
If you’re sipping
Skip the soda or juice and sip water all day—it quenches your thirst and will keep you from getting crazy hungry. Soda, which is high in calories and bad-for-you-ingredients like phosphoric acid, just leaves you craving even more sugary sweet things (the diet stuff does too!).
BY JESSICA D'ARGENIO AND ELIZABETH PIPER ON 1/4/2011 11:43:00 AM