It’s that time of year. Yes, holiday parties and family gatherings where food and drink will be plenteous are once again upon us. Unfortunately, the temptation to overindulge in holiday cheer can be a challenge for even the most disciplined eater.

Most of us will abandon our diet and exercise regimen beginning in mid-November for Thanksgiving, and will carry through to the first week of February’s Super Bowl Parties. So, how do you maintain your weight and heart-health during this time? Here are a few tips:

1. Eat on a smaller plate. In the olden days, it was expected that every morsel on the plate had to be eaten, as times were lean and wasting food was not acceptable. If eating all the food on your plate is still a practice you feel strongly about continuing, by all means do so. But be practical and eat on a smaller plate. And remember: Don’t pile your plate so full whereby sideboards are needed to prevent overflow.

2. Learn and use these two words boldly: “No Thanks”. If you have stuffed yourself to capacity, and realistically cannot stomach another bite, it’s okay to decline seconds or just say “No Thanks” to that tempting dessert which may contribute to additional unwanted pounds.

3. MOVE. A recent study’s findings revealed that the U.S. African American population has the largest % of adults who do not exercise! [2008] Falling asleep after that big holiday meal does not burn calories. Get off the couch and get to walking, running, stepping, dancing, jumping rope: MOVE!

4. Watch what you drink. During this holiday season, limit your alcohol intake. Drink water or calorie-free beverages with meals. Drink high-fat eggnog sparingly. Lay off the sodas and encourage children and teens to do likewise. If you must have sweet ice-tea or Kool-aid, please sweeten with anything but white sugar.

You will enjoy a much healthier life if you learn to Eat to Live, and not Live to Eat. Happy Holidays!

Huggies® Every Little Bottom Continues to Drive Awareness of Diaper Need Across North America

To kick off the holiday season and the launch of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) – the first national nonprofit dedicated to helping raise awareness of diaper need, build capacity of diaper banks and close the diaper gap in America – Huggies Every Little Bottom organized “12 Days of Thanks,” a cross-country tour where the brand donated 12 million diapers in 12 cities over a 12-day period.

Throughout the month of November, Huggies and the NDBN traveled to New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Kansas City, Dallas, Denver, Sacramento, Minneapolis, Detroit and Columbus, donating one million diapers to each city.

Since 2010, Huggies has donated 22.5 million diapers per year through the Every Little Bottom program to families in need in North America. As the founding sponsor of the NDBN, Huggies Every Little Bottom will continue this diaper donation commitment as the program aims to donate at least 20 million diapers per year to the organization.

“Diapers are a basic need for children, yet many families struggle to afford them and have few resources from which to seek help,” said Joanne Goldblum, executive director of the National Diaper Bank Network. “Our national organization is dedicated to providing every child in America with the diapers they need to remain clean, dry and healthy.”

The need for diapers is growing as joblessness and the weak economy continues to impact families’ abilities to buy supplies for their babies. In a 2010 survey, 34 percent of respondents had cut back on food, utilities or child care to buy diapers. Most child care facilities require a day’s worth of disposable diapers and when parents run out of diapers, they are forced to withdraw their child from child care.

In a report by Adams and Rohacek, instability in childcare arrangements has been linked to a range of negative outcomes in children, including problems with relationship attachment, social competence, behavior, cognitive ability, language development, school adjustment and overall well-being.

“Our vision is to help America become a place where every family has access to the diapers they need for their child,” says Aric Melzl, Brand Director at Kimberly-Clark and NDBN board member. “The National Diaper Bank Network will holistically address diaper need by strengthening diaper distribution resources and channels.”

[Hats off to Preston Johnson, Cyndee Davis, ACE-Up and their team in Jackson, MS for a successful diaper collection drive held December 4th.  Diaper donations are still coming in!!!]

by NCPS Staff