The holiday season has arrived and with it oodles of cookies, candy, cakes and cocktails.
Between the stress of shopping and the care-free atmosphere of holiday galas, attention to eating and exercise habits can slacken in December, which is fine for a short period of time said Ronda Bokram, an Olin Health Center nutritionist.
"The holidays are a time of connecting with people and sharing food with people, it's OK to bake cookies and eat them and not worry about it," Bokram said.
"It's a temporary time and it's OK to indulge a little."
Still, when faced with a buffet of festive treats, small portions should be the rule of thumb, said Jenny Bond, retired professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition.
She recommended several guidelines to prevent overzealous snacking at holiday events.
First, eat before attending a party, especially if high-calorie or high-fat food items will be present.
Also, circulating rooms at a party will help minimize food intake. Bond said remaining by the food enhances the likelihood of continual snacking.
Taking small portions of available sweets and including food that takes longer to eat, such as nuts or carrot sticks, is another trick to control eating habits.
"You just have to be conscious about it," Bond said.
Jon Kermiet, Olin health educator, said an exercise regimen is also important and students should take advantage of the cold and snowy weather that usually accompanies the season.
"People tend to hibernate or incorrectly think that exercise outside is harmful - that the cold will hurt their health," Kermiet said.
Activities such as skiing, sledding or running in the snow are beneficial as well as a fun way to interact with friends and family during the holidays.
"The key is movement - if they are being active in some way that should be adequate," Kermiet said.
Bond said incorporating exercise can ease people's minds if they worry about over-eating.
Adding even 10 minutes onto a regular fitness regimen can help with extra holiday-induced calories and create a more restful peace of mind, she said.
Recognizing what constitutes as high-calorie is important too, she said. Alcohol, especially popular festive mixed drinks, can greatly add to a person's caloric intake.
Alternative drinks such as spicy teas or coffee offer holiday tastes without the high-calorie count.
Skipping meals because of errands and events can also be a problem. Bond said neglecting to eat in order to save room for an anticipated meal is a mistake.
"It's always a good guideline to not skip breakfast and other meals and that's really important during the holidays," Bond said. "If we skip meals we tend to eat more than we would usually."
