I have been asked numerous times about the healthiest way to eat after the holidays. But what about during the holidays?
It is a known fact that many Americans experience substantial weight gain between the months of October through December.
Some may ask why this occurs.
The truth is there are a myriad of reasons as to why this occurs: inclement weather tends to make one less likely to want to exercise outdoors, limited sunlight can cause your circadian rhythms to become off balanced and may make you more sedentary, and at least a few dozen other factors.
However, overwhelmingly, food is typically the culprit. We tend to consumer fattier & less nutritious meals during the late fall to early winter seasons. As weight loss becomes more challenging this ultimately causes you to work out even harder after the holiday seasons...unless you take action to offset the excess weight.
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I believe that it is quite possible to create a nutritious and delicious holiday meal for both your meat-eating and vegetarian holiday guests. Numerous side dishes can be easily made vegetarian with just as much savory goodness as the traditional non-vegetarian alternatives.
If you are new to the vegetarian lifestyle and not quite sure where to start, ask for some input or help from your vegetarian guests. They may have some great recipe ideas, shortcuts, or simple tricks of the trade they can share with you to make your holiday meal preparation go smoothly. If you'd like to impress your guests with a significant culinary repertoire, you may want to consult some recipe books.
For instance, you can substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth, or simply leave the meat or meat drippings out of vegetables and soups. This will also reduce the fat content. It’s also very simple to divide some of the dishes, making one portion meatless, using the same vegetarian ingredients just mentioned.
Most importantly, keep in mind that the holidays are about peace, love, and understanding. With this in mind, please try not to be judgmental of what people you love choose to eat if you are not vegetarian yourself. Incorporate ideas from a vegetarian lifestyle into your own to ensure your family is eating a variety nutrient-dense, delicious fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts at every meal.
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