Healthy and Happy Holidays!

The holiday season is a time for family gatherings, office parties, and visiting with friends, which at times can lead to over indulging in both food and drinks. Give the gift of health to your loved ones by planning ahead for a healthy and happy holiday season.

Here are a few simple tips to enjoy the holiday season while keeping healthy and active.

Challenge yourself to a brisk walk around the store/mall for 10- 15 minutes before and after your shopping to burn extra calories and to boost your energy levels naturally.

Create new traditions! With all the decorating, gift wrapping and baking happening in the house play your favorite holiday music and invite your family and friends to join you in dancing. Dancing is a great way to interact with your loved ones and is also a great way to enhance your mood naturally.

Offer healthy and creative snack options at your holiday party and ask others to do the same. Here are some easy to prepare snacks to help keep your calorie intake low around the holiday.

Eggnog: Fill your glass with three-quarters part skim milk and one part eggnog.

Hot Chocolate: Look for packets marked low-fat/fat-free or low-sugar/sugar-free. Be sure to add the mix to skim milk or hot water.

Serve non-alcoholic versions of your favorite cocktails and use spices like cinnamon sticks, cloves, nutmeg and berries instead of syrups with added sugar.

Candy Cane without the Candy
This is an easy to make snack for the kids and can also be an arts and crafts activity for them. Simply pre-slice bananas and strawberries, place a candy cane in front of them to see. Give each child their own separate bowl with both ingredients and a plate. Ask them to create their own candy cane and enjoy!

For more great healthy recipe ideas visit pintrest.com healthy holiday recipes for kids.

Resource: Pintrest

Attend one of the FREE exercise programs offered by the City of Los Fresnos at Los Fresnos Memorial Park.

For more information contact Christine De La Rosa, Los Fresnos Community Health Worker at 956-312-1406 or email at [email protected] or Los Fresnos City Hall at 956-233-5768.