The mall is the perfect place to knock out the bulk of your holiday shopping list. Thanks to long lines and an ample wish list, you'll more than likely find yourself in for a marathon day of shopping. No doubt you'll get hungry at some point, and the food court is mere steps away. Convenient, but the fast food options are enough to kill any diet plan.
Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy while knocking out your holiday shopping:
Eat a big breakfast
Head to the mall with a full stomach so you're not tempted by the food court an hour or two into your shopping trip. Load up on healthy proteins like eggs, Greek yogurt and whole wheat toast with peanut butter.
Skip the food court when holiday shopping.
Drink plenty of fluids
We commonly confuse hunger with dehydration. If you start feeling peckish, grab a bottle of water before reaching for the fast food. Try to avoid so-called healthy drink options like juices, smoothies and sports drinks. These are loaded with sugar and often contain hundreds of calories. Don't worry if you need an energy boost - one study found that contrary to popular belief, coffee is nearly as hydrating as water. Just skip the sugar and choose low-fat milk or cream.
Bring healthy snacks
You can't always avoid eating while out on an extended shopping trip, so prepare by bringing low-calorie snacks like granola bars, carrots, nuts or whole-wheat crackers. Nibble on these to tide yourself over until lunch or dinner when you can eat a full meal at home or a sit-down restaurant.
Check nutrition information
Mom365 noted that knowing the calorie content of what you eat helps you make healthy decisions. For example, you'd naturally expect a pretzel to be better for you than a burger and fries, but this assumption causes you to overlook just how unhealthy your food of choice can be. Once you see a plain pretzel contains nearly 500 calories, you might think twice before buying one.