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Healthy And Happy Holidays: Tips For Eating Right And Staying Fit During Christmas

The holiday season is a time for celebration and indulgence, but it does not mean we have to abandon our healthy eating habits. With some simple strategies, you can enjoy the festive season while still prioritising your well-being.

 

Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash

 

  1. Plan Ahead and Prioritize

Before the holiday season begins, take some time to plan your meals and activities. Set realistic goals and focus on maintaining rather than losing weight. Prioritize nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Fill your plate with these healthier options before reaching for the less nutritious ones.

 

  1. Practice Portion Control

During holiday gatherings, it is easy to overindulge in calorie-dense foods. Instead, practice portion control. Enjoy a small portion of your favourite treats while filling most of your plate with vegetables and lean proteins. Listen to your body’s hunger and fullness cues, and avoid eating mindlessly. Slow down, savour each bite, and engage in conversations to help you become more mindful of your eating habits.

 

  1. Make Smart Substitutions

Swap out unhealthy ingredients with healthier alternatives when cooking or baking. For example, use whole wheat flour instead of refined flour, Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, or applesauce instead of oil in baked goods. Experiment with herbs, spices, and citrus flavours to enhance the taste of dishes without adding excess salt or sugar. These simple substitutions can significantly reduce calorie intake without compromising on taste and enjoyment.

 

  1. Stay Active

Physical activity is an integral part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, even during the holidays. Engage in activities that you enjoy, such as walking, dancing, or playing outdoor games with family and friends. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week, along with muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days. Stay consistent with your exercise routine to counterbalance any extra calories consumed during holiday meals.

 

  1. Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating involves paying attention to the present moment and being fully aware of your food choices, hunger, and satiety signals. Slow down and savour each bite, appreciating the flavours and textures of the food. Minimize distractions like television or smartphones while eating to fully focus on your meal. This practice can help prevent overeating and promote a healthy relationship with food.

 

With a little planning, mindfulness, and smart choices, you can enjoy the holiday season without sacrificing your health and fitness goals. By following the above recommendations, you can savour the festive flavours while nurturing your well-being and setting a positive example for others. Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season!

 

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Foods That Fuel: Dietitian Sally Poon Shares Her Dance Nutrition Tips

Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Driven by the athleticism, artistry and aesthetics of dance, many dancers find themselves in a whirlwind of personal health and fitness goals. It can be mind-boggling for young dancers to figure out how to fuel their bodies. Though we each have a unique physical composition, there are a few dietary tips that every dancer should take note off. Here to share her advice on nutrition for dancers is one of Hong Kong’s leading dietitians, Sally Poon.

 

 

How can dancers keep their energy up throughout the day?

S.P.: For competition or stage performance preparation, it is important to ensure that adequate dietary intake is being achieved. Eat frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Do not skip meals. Always consume a snack to replenish your energy within 30 minutes after training.

In between training sessions and performances, dancers should give special attention to fluid and carbohydrate intake in order to maintain optimal cognition and motor skill performance. Dehydration can cause tiredness and hinder performance by reducing strength and aerobic capacity. Impaired skill level can also occur, along with mental fatigue that can impact concentration and decision making. The amount an individual sweats varies from person to person, therefore fluid needs are highly individualised. Generally, the more a person sweats, the more they will need to drink. When the body is well hydrated, the colour of urine should be pale yellow throughout the day. Water is suitable for low intensity and short duration exercise. Sports drinks can be useful in high intensity or endurance training, as they contain both carbohydrates for fuel and sodium to help the body retain fluid more effectively and stimulate thirst.

 

 

 

What types of dietary risks are dancers prone to?

S.P.: The risk of poor micronutrient status due to restricted energy intake may be higher for dancers. Micronutrients that warrant attention include iron, calcium, and vitamin D. Our body needs iron to make haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all parts of the body. Low levels of iron in the body can cause iron deficiency anaemia. Symptoms include weakness, tiredness, difficulty concentrating, as well as impaired immune function and recovery. 

It is important that dancers seek dietary advice from qualified dietitians, due to the great amount of pressure to maintain a low body weight and low body fat levels, especially among ballet dancers. And this can lead to unbalanced eating habits and health issues if it is not properly supervised. Evidence suggests that disordered eating, menstrual disturbances, and low bone mineral density are the key health issues for dancers at all skill levels. Low bone mineral density is associated with clinical outcomes of osteopenia and osteoporosis. A study found that dancers had three times the risk of suffering from eating disorders.

 


Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

 

What are some ways that dancers can develop or maintain strong and healthy bones?

S.P.: Adequate calcium and vitamin D are crucial to maintain proper bone health. Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the main food sources of calcium. Dark green vegetables, tofu, canned sardines, and calcium-fortified beverages are good sources of calcium too. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and is important to keep our immunity strong. The body makes vitamin D when skin is directly exposed to the sun. Only a few foods naturally have vitamin D, which include fatty fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel), egg yolks, mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light, as well as fortified foods and beverages (such as breakfast cereals, yogurt, milk, soy milk, and orange juice). Dietary supplements may be necessary to help achieve specific nutritional goals when dietary intake is inadequate.

 


Photo by Tetiana Bykovets on Unsplash

5 Fuelling Foods Packed with Nutrition

  1. Nuts are a good source of protein, healthy monounsaturated fats and dietary fibre. They also contain vitamin E, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron. Protein can enhance muscle repair and building; vitamin E is important for the immune system; and salted nuts with fluids can enhance rehydration.
  2. Fruits are rich in carbohydrates, dietary fibre, vitamin C, and potassium. Carbohydrates are an important energy source during exercise. Inadequate carbohydrate intake combined with regular training can lead to tiredness, loss of muscle mass and poor recovery. Carbohydrates are also needed to provide fuel to the brain, therefore low carbohydrate diets can result in poor concentration, mood swings and depression. Vitamin C is crucial to keep the immune system strong.
  3. Milk contains protein, calcium, and phosphorus that can promote muscle function and bone health. It also includes a source of fluid and sodium to enhance rehydration.
  4. Eggs are rich in protein for growth, repair and maintenance of muscles. Eggs also contain high concentrations of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin; as well as choline which is involved in the regulation of memory, mood, and muscle control.
  5. Quinoa is classified as a whole grain and is a good source of protein, dietary fiber, and iron. Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own.

 


Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

A List of Energy Boosting Snack Suggestions for Dancers

  • Cereal bars
  • Nut bars
  • Energy balls
  • Fruit smoothies
  • Trail mix with dried fruits
  • Yogurt with almonds and fruits
  • Egg/ tuna/ cheese sandwich
  • Peanut butter banana sandwich
  • Apple walnut muffins
  • Banana nut bread
  • Small tin of tuna on crackers with a banana
  • Vegetables sticks and pita bread with hummus

 


Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash


What are some key foods and food groups that dancers should incorporate into their daily diet?

S.P.: Grains should be taken as the major dietary source, such as rice, noodles, pasta, bread, cereals, oatmeal, granola bars, and crackers. Eat more fruits and vegetables – make your meals as colourful as possible! Have a moderate amount of lean meat, skinless poultry, fish and seafood, beans, tofu, eggs, and low-fat dairy. Include some healthy fats with meals and snacks, such as nuts and seeds, avocado, nut butter, olive oil, salmon and tuna.

Ready to fuel up and take the stage, let’s open our pantry and keep our dance bags packed with delicious and energizing snacks! A special thank you to leading dietitian Sally Poon for sharing her expertise on nutrition for dancers!

 

Sally, Shi-Po Poon 潘仕寶

Registered Dietitian (UK)

Accredited Practising Dietitian (Australia)

BSc Nutrition (King’s College, London)

Master of Nutrition & Dietetics (The University of Sydney, Australia)

Sports Nutrition (HKUSPACE)

For more nutrition tips follow Sally on:

Personal Dietitian

Facebook: @sallypoondietitian

Instagram: @sallypoondietitian

 

This article was posted on the Hong Kong Dance Magazine website on 25 May 2020:
https://hkdancemagazine.com/stories/2020/5/23/foods-that-fuel-dietitian-sally-poon-shares-her-dance-nutrition-tips?fbclid=IwAR2M8d2w876y_TB5WUhRpgHM7k4C1L4-gsB5XSW_ylobJsI5ddkkeD5vtp4

 

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Thinking Of Starting A Family? Read These Health Tips First

By Sally Shi-po POON (Registered Dietitian)

Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year (or longer) of regular unprotected sex. It is said to affect 1 in every 6 couples. While couples cannot control all of the factors causing infertility, they can control their eating habits and lifestyle as these can have significant impacts on the ability to get pregnant. The following are important steps to help you get ready for the healthiest pregnancy possible.

 

1. Maintain a healthy weight

In women, being underweight, being overweight or exercising too much may lead to infertility, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In men, obesity is also associated with infertility due to lowered sperm count and motility, according to the National Infertility Association. Therefore, couples should maintain an optimal body weight as well as waist circumference to increase the chance of getting pregnant.

Healthy Weight Ranges

Boyd Mass Index (BMI): 18.5-24.9 (Caucasian); 18.5-22.9 (Asian)
Waist Circumference: <94cm for men and <80cm for women (Caucasian); <90cm for men and <80cm for women (Asian)

Sadly, there is no magic solution to sustainable weight loss. To lose weight successfully, you need to make healthier food choices, eat a balanced diet with portion control, and be physically active. Furthermore, adherence to healthy diets favouring whole grains, fruits, vegetables, poultry, and seafood are associated with better fertility in women and better semen quality in men, according to a review published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2017.

Avoid going on a fad diet where you eat a very restrictive diet for a short period of time and often lose weight quickly. Most people on this style of diet get fed-up very soon, start over-eating, make poor food choices and regain the weight they lost. Fad diets can also deplete your body of the nutrients it needs for healthy pregnancy. Consult a dietitian who can help you lose weight in a way that suits your lifestyle.

 

2. Get plenty of iron from plants

A diet rich in plant-based iron may reduce the risk of infertility, according to results from The Nurses’ Health Study II. Plant foods that are rich in iron include lentils, kidney beans, chickpeas, tofu, black sesame, cashew nuts, spinach, fortified cereals, and whole grains. To absorb the most iron from the foods, avoid drinking coffee, tea or milk with meals and add vitamin C from guava, orange, kiwi, lemon, or bell peppers to your meals to enhance iron absorption.

 

3. Go low GI

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common cause of female infertility. PCOS affects between 6% and 12% of women overall, which appears to be more common among overweight women. Women with PCOS often don’t have menstrual periods, or they only have periods on occasion. Because the eggs are not released, most women with PCOS have trouble getting pregnant. Research shows that weight loss of 5% is associated with improvement in amenorrhoea (absence of menstruation) for overweight women with PCOS.

Healthy eating tips for women with PCOS:

  • choose high-fibre, low-glycaemia index (GI) carbohydrates – at least half of all the grains eaten should be whole grains such as whole-wheat flour, oatmeal, and brown rice;
  • limit added sugars and refined grains such as sugary beverages, cakes, white bread and white rice;
  • choose monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as avocados, olive oil, flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, and sardines; and
  • limit saturated and trans fats such as butter, lard, stick margarine, shortening, and partially hydrogenated oil.

 

4. Stop drinking and smoking

Alcohol and smoking can damage the eggs and sperm, and reduce the fertility of both males and females. Therefore, if you and your partner are serious about trying to start a family, you should consider avoiding alcoholic drinks and quitting smoking to increase the chance of pregnancy.

 

5. Increase your folic acid intake

Folic acid won’t boost your fertility, but taking folic acid regularly before becoming pregnant and during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects (malformations of the spine, skull, and brain) in babies. Therefore, all women who could become pregnant should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily from supplements. In addition, choose foods that are rich in folic acid, including asparagus, Brussels sprouts, spinach, mustard greens, oranges, peanuts, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, liver, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereals.

 

For more information about eating for fertility, consult a dietitian for personalized advice and diet plan.

 

Sally’s Nutrition Blog @ Hong Kong Tatler: https://hk.asiatatler.com/life/thinking-of-starting-a-family-health-tips

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