Health-Minded Tips for July 4th Weekend

It’s Fourth of July Weekend, the second official holiday of the Summer season, with Juneteenth now being the first1!! Sunshine, beaches, pools, cookouts, cocktails….all of your summertime favorites!

While you’re planning and enjoying your weekend, I just wanted to share a few reminders with you. With the past year that we’ve experienced, I would not ever advise you to cut out any of your favorite activities or foods. However, I still encourage you to be safe and mindful with the choices you make. Remember, as excited as you are to get back outside, there are millions of others doing the same. Be aware of your surroundings, your body, and your mental wellness, as you get back to your newer “normal”.

Below are my tips to enjoy a fun & active July 4th Weekend:

• Run or walk a local Fourth of July race! Even if you’re not ready to jump back into the crowds of an in-person race, there are plenty of virtual options available. Join the fun and find a 5k or 10K race to kickoff the long weekend. And, while the satisfaction of simply completing the race may be enough for you, most races will send you home with an awesome completion medal, or even a fun t-shirt to commemorate the event!

• Go for a swim! Or, just hit the water. I’m not an official swimmer, even after more than one set of swim lessons as child, but I love the water! Whether it’s a public pool, a lake, the beach, or in your own backyard, get in that water and cool off. Most times it’s a free activity, except for maybe a parking fee at the beach. I’d say that’s well worth it for a few hours of fun in the sun, in the water.

• Check out some local fireworks! There are many locations that offer drive-in shows and displays. In our neighborhood, we are lucky enough to be able to walk to the end of our block and see numerous shows across the city. It’s absolutely gorgeous for about two hours….not so much on into the early a.m. with the booms, but I digress. Ha!

• Try a new recipe to throw on the grill. If your temperatures have heated up like they have here in Southern California, you probably don’t want to turn on the oven! The grill is a much better option and is so very versatile for your menu options. Kabobs are always a fun, quick, and tasty option for an outdoor meal. A kabob is a dish of created with pieces of meat, veggies, and even fruits roasted on a skewer or spit. I’ll be trying a new chicken sausage and veggie kabob this weekend, myself. I may just have to share the recipe with you soon.

• Keep drinking water! Sometimes, we can mistake our thirst for hunger. Drink water at regular intervals throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This can aid in preventing dehydration, which will assist you in knowing the difference between thirst and hunger. It will even assist with your body’s processing of those tasty cocktails you may decide to enjoy!

Whatever you choose to do, however you choose to celebrate, enjoy yourself. Continue to take care of yourself and your loved ones, count your blessings and practice gratitude for all you have. And, please, stay safe!

Holiday Eating Tips

Woohoo! We are smack-dab in the middle of the holidays, my absolute favorite time of the year. I love spending time with family, Christmas music & movies, and lots of delicious foods. It’s important that we go in with a plan. Think about it….you make a list of gifts to be purchased and decorations to be hung, let’s decide to put that same effort into planning proper meals.

Before your Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, I just wanted to share a few reminders with you. Most importantly, I would advise you to stay away from desserts, cocktails, and rich savory side dishes!!! Okay, bad joke…. That thought process is unrealistic AND unnecessary, especially during these times.

However, what I do suggest (and, what I will do, myself) is to be mindful. Mindfulness is defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.” That is a lot to digest (no pun, intended), but it corroborate my point perfectly. Instead of filling up your plate with heaping helpings of all your favorites, really take time to think about what you really want to eat during your sitting. You don’t have to eat everything right now…. You can always come back later, after you’ve given that serving enough time to digest.

Specifically, my tips for a more successful holiday eating season are as follows:

• Create a new recipe with healthier ingredients. Or, adjust one of your longtime favorite recipes with healthier ingredients. This tip applies to savory side dishes and treats to satisfy your sweet tooth.

• Practice portion control. This means choosing a healthy amount of a certain food. With portion control, you can still enjoy the foods you love, without overeating.

• Limit holiday cocktails, or at least, choose healthier options for your cocktails. Create new favorites that do not use fruit juices, creams, etc. to minimize sugar. Try a dry wine over a sweet wine. A little research will go a long way in helping you decide.

• Keep drinking water! Sometimes, we can mistake our thirst for hunger. Drink water at regular intervals throughout the day, even if you don’t feel thirsty. This can aid in preventing dehydration, which will assist you in knowing the difference between thirst and hunger.

• And last, but not least, keep moving! Consider a virtual holiday 5K or 10K on Christmas morning or even a short walk after your meal. If you really want to get active, try something you haven’t done before: do a rotation of squats, calf raises, and leg lifts while you’re standing in the kitchen cooking. If that doesn’t work for you, hop up and get in some brisk walking or stair climbing on these special days.

  
  Whatever you choose to do, please enjoy this holiday season, even if it didn’t turn out as planned. Make the most of your days, no matter what it looks like. As 2020 comes to an end, take time to count your blessings and practice gratitude for all you have. And, please, stay safe!