WASHINGTON — Have you been following along with the Lean Plate Club™ Holiday Challenge? It’s not too late to join! The goal of the challenge is to simply keep your weight steady during this season of indulgences.
This is the sixth talk with Sally Squires, author of the Lean Plate Club™ blog, a former Washington Post health writer and Washington Post Radio contributor, and we are focusing on making wise choices while you are out and about.
If you’re busy with last-minute shopping or holiday travel, you’ll soon be faced with tricky temptations in food courts or airports — often on an empty stomach.
“This is where doing a little reconnaissance is a good thing. You just want to kind of walk around, find out what are your options,” Squires says. Don’t just go for the first thing you see.
Keep an eye out for high-volume foods — maybe a salad or soup, which will have fewer calories and they will help you feel fuller. Look for things that are grilled rather than fried, combination meals that include veggies, or options that are heavier on veggies.
Some restaurants are already posting calorie counts to help you gauge the best choice. The calories may also be listed online, if you’d like to plan ahead.
“The best tip is actually not to get into the situation where you are starving. Because when you are starving, then you’re ready to eat everything in sight,” she says.
Squires recommends tucking a couple of snack bars or some trail mix in your bag, so you always have something available to keep you from making bad decisions.
Travel Tips
Since you’ll likely find yourself in a car or sitting on a plane this week, a few simple exercises will help boost your energy.
Squires says to start with a simple posture check to combat slumping — sit up as straight as you can.
Here are more ideas for quick exercises:
- In the car, sit up straight, trying to “grow an inch” taller by bringing your shoulders back.
- Lift your head so that your upper spine is erect and in more of a straight line. Retract your chin so that your ears are directly in line with your shoulders. Hold for 30 seconds while breathing in and out. Do a set of five to 10 reps.
- Roll your shoulders up and then back while holding the steering wheel. (At your desk, you can let your arms and hands follow.) Gently pull your shoulder blades down and back toward your tailbone and your back pockets. This can help middle back muscles and loosen shoulder muscles.
- Tighten your abs by scooping up your belly and pulling in your waistline so that your navel moves toward your spine, which helps take stress off the lower, lumbar spine.
- Clench the steering wheel as tightly as possible, then release. At the same time, try to relax your shoulders and sit up straight. Repeat about one second on, one second off about 10 times.
Stretching exercises can also be a lifesaver during this hectic time — and don’t be afraid to try these moves at your work desk.
Don’t be overwhelmed with setting high goals right now — Squires says even little changes and mindfulness can make a big impact on your health.
“I think when we imagine making our lifestyles better, we imagine workouts in the gym, being a perfect chef, or doing all these other things without fail — and that’s not how life is,” Squires says. “So it’s really great that you can do these little things that seem achievable, and you can get some good results.”
