CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – UVA Health is sharing tips on how to have a healthy eating balance during the holiday season.

“It’s a short period of time. You still need to enjoy yourself, but still always having kind of those big-picture goals.” Katherine Basbaum with UVA Health said Friday, November 17.

These goals can be eating healthier or maintaining a desired weight during the holiday season.

Basbaum says there are a few things you can do: Firstly, stick to your regular routine.

“If you have some kind of an exercise routine, certainly keep that up throughout the holidays because it’ll help keep weight stable and keep your fitness up,” she said.

Next, Basbaum suggests making meals from scratch: “A lot of these cranberry sauces, the second ingredient after cranberries is high-fructose corn syrup, which isn’t a good idea anytime of the year,” she said.

And if there is a vegetable and fruit platter, make sure you put a generous amount onto your plate.

“Not only will it keep your hands busy, but the sheer water volume, fiber volume of these fresh fruits and vegetables is going to fill you up,” Basbaum said.

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