
When you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the fall and winter months feel like one big conspiracy conjured up as a cruel trick just to sabotage our diets.
Every few weeks, from Halloween until Easter, there’s another holiday centered around food. It’s a vicious cycle of temptations, followed by weight gain and regrets.
Want to get off the treadmill, get into the fast lane, and put it in cruise control?
Welcome to Traffic Light Eating
Traffic light eating is a simple, straightforward way to approach food that is easy to remember and can help you stick to a healthy diet forever. It’s a way of classifying foods that’s devoid of fads or gimmicks and that even young children will understand.
Green Means Go: Green light foods are ones that grow (including all fruits and vegetables). Eat as much as you’d like. They are high in nutrients and lower in calories.
Yellow – Use Caution: Ok to eat everyday in moderation, yellow light foods include chicken, fish, low fat dairy, eggs and whole grains.
Red – Stop and Think: Red light foods include red meats, processed meats (bacon, sausage, etc.) cakes, pies, candy, chips, and white bread. These foods are usually high in calories, fat, or sugar. They pack on the pounds but leave us hungry for more.
How to Choose Wisely
When it comes to healthy eating, start by answering the question, “Why is this important to me?” said Sherri Rose, owner of Health Harmony Coaching and a health and wellness practitioner at a primary healthcare office in Clifton Park.
Next, come up with a plan.
“It’s not about being perfect, it’s about making informed decisions,” she said. Learn how to read food labels and about the startling amount of sugar in foods.
“Most people are willing to give themselves permission to indulge, but then it’s the getting back on track that’s the problem,” continued Sherri.
Have two parties planned for the week? If you go in and wing it, regrets and weight gain are likely close behind.
“Decide where your calories are going to come from.”
Don’t deny yourself, come up with a plan that balances an indulgence with healthier options at breakfast and lunch, and getting in an extra workout.
Recognizing why you’re eating is also important. During the holidays, we’re prone to stress and emotional eating, so if this happens to you, remove yourself from the trigger and have a list of healthy food swaps or activities ready that you can do instead so you won’t abandon your healthy eating goals.
“You’re in the driver’s seat, it’s your journey,” said Sherri.
A health coach can help get you from Point A to Point B and hold you accountable for your decisions along the way.
For more information, you can find Sherri at Circulo Health at 1714 Rte. 9 in Clifton Park, NY, reach her by phone at 518-900-1115 or online at www.circulohealth.com/huddle.
Join Circulo Health's own Sherri Rose (Health Coach) and Cat Capowski (Social Worker) as we host a four-part series on managing stress.
Throughout this series, we’ll work together to transition from surviving to thriving. Feel free to attend one or all sessions.
When: 6-7 p.m. on Thursday evenings (10/20/22 Changing Your Internal Dialogue, 11/3/22 Finding Work/Life Balance, 11/10/22 Social Support & Community Resources)
Where: 1714 Rte. 9, Clifton Park, NY 12065