Enjoy Christmas Day, but don’t make it Christmas Month

Published on 22 December 2014

Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry with our loved ones. But it doesn’t mean that you have to put your health goals on hold.

Community Wellbeing and Services Portfolio Councillor Sharyon Peart is encouraging locals to avoid over-indulging in the festive season and to make healthy eating and exercise a priority throughout December rather than waiting until the New Year.

“It is very easy to forget about your health at this time of year, especially with so many parties, meals and functions on,” Cr Peart said.

“But being healthy over the holiday period doesn’t mean missing out on all the yummy foods.

Cr Peart is keen to share some tips from Healthy Together Mildura and the Cancer Council’s Live Lighter campaign, which she says will help keep your health in check this holiday season.

Top Christmas Tips

• Drinks: Make sure you drink plenty of chilled water. Add a slice of lemon or lime for extra flavour. It’s a cheap, easy and healthy way to make sure you stay hydrated on warm summer days.
• Alcohol: A lot of energy (kilojoules) come from alcohol so ‘low-carb’ beers and wines aren’t always a healthier choice. Choose light beers and low-alcohol wines instead. You can add ice cubes or soda water to further reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.
• Get active: If you can, try to get active before the Christmas meal. Go for a walk, have a game of backyard cricket or take the kids to the park. When the kids bring out their new toys or start a game of tag, get involved!

Tips for your Christmas Feast

• Prepare a nutritious feast: Reduce the amount of oil you use (and the cooking time) by par-boiling vegetables before adding them to the roasting pan. Barbecuing is a healthy way to cook meats, just make sure you remove the skin and any excess fat before cooking.
• Get creative with your 2 & 5: A fruit platter, or vegetable sticks with dips such as hummus and salsa, make great snacks. For salads, try adding slices of orange, mango or beetroot for extra colour while snow peas and bean sprouts can add more crunch. Serve dressings on the side, so people can chose whether or not to add them.
• Don’t eat too much: Firstly, don’t pile your plate high. Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables, one quarter with meat (or alternative) and the last quarter with cereals and grains (such as bread, rice or pasta).

 Healthy Gift Ideas

• Gourmet food hamper: Fill a basket with fresh seasonal fruits, unsalted nuts, specialty teas and/or homemade healthy sauces, preserves and chutneys. You could even include a healthy recipe book for extra inspiration.
• For the garden: Those with a green thumb will love a potted plant or a few seedlings. Herbs, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and chili are all easy to grow, look fantastic and taste great!
• Get active: Active gifts keep on giving right through the year. You could buy a sporting item (such as a football, basketball, skateboard), a voucher for a sports shop, a season pass to the local swimming pool, a few yoga classes or a bicycle. There are lots of active toys, great for kid of all ages.

For more tips on how to LiveLighter this Christmas, visit www.healthytogethermildura.com.au

Healthy Together Mildura is funded by the Victorian Government and is a partnership between Mildura Rural City Council and Sunraysia Community Health Services.