Tag Archives: holidays

The Worst Holiday-Inspired Flavors from Pringles, Burger King, and Baskin Robbins

It seems like the holidays bring out some more unique flavors in our food. If you roam the aisles in the store right now you’ll easily find a pumpkin spice flavored version of many things, while others have released their limited edition peppermint or gingerbread flavors, too. While cookies and coffees make sense, we’re seeing these holiday flavors in some extraordinary places.

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the holiday flavor rage is coming from Pringles, the potato chip company. For the 2024 holiday season you can find the tubes of chips in a Cinnamon and Sugar, White Chocolate Peppermint, or a Pumpkin Pie Spice flavor. Once you pop we hope you’ll be able to stop – a serving of 16 chips in the cinnamon and sugar or white chocolate flavors match the nutrition facts for their original with 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 2 grams of sugar.

Since those chips will probably leave you thirsty, why not wash them down with a Jones Soda? Every year the soda company releases the wildest holiday flavors. While nothing may ever top their Turkey and Gravy flavor that was first released in 1994, the annual sodas are typically a huge hit. This year the sodas are Gingerbread, Pear Tree, Candy Cane, and Sugar Plum. While we couldn’t find nutritionals for these seasonal flavors, we imagine it can’t be too far off the traditional options. A Jones Soda cream soda has 190 very empty calories and a shocking 48 grams of sugar! (more…)

Posted on November 26, 2023 by Lacy

Get Jolly in the Gym with Our Holiday Workout Playlist

I’m so excited that the holiday season is finally here that I’m just about to burst at the seams, literally. I’m one of those people who gushes holiday cheer starting November 1, and there’s no stopping it. For this reason I am the perfect person to drum up a holiday playlist to help you get jolly in the gym this December.

The holiday season is like sensory overload with all of my favorite things: Comfort food, cheery music, chilly weather, hot drinks, gift giving, family visiting, cookie cutting, Santa Claus stories and Christmas movies – there’s just too much excitement to take in! Good thing we have almost five weeks to go before Christmas actually arrives, otherwise I don’t think I could stand it coming or going any sooner than it already does.

To get you in the holiday spirit whether you’re a runner, yogi, cyclist, walker or weights enthusiast, check out our handpicked holiday playlist. It features upbeat songs to help you heat things up, and even includes three songs at the end to help you cool things down. Just click on the links below to download the track directly from Amazon and take them with you wherever you go. (more…)

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Dana

5 Largest Turkey Trot Races on Thanksgiving Morning

While Thanksgiving morning means wafts of turkey aroma and the Macy’s parade for most Americans, for a smaller crowd of runners it means Turkey Trot. It’s interesting if you research all the Turkey Trots in the nation because most have a very long standing tradition. I’m guessing the pending feasts motivate so many to get some calorie burning in every year. This year is no exception as the race calendars are loaded with many events.

Some trots were last weekend, but many land right here on Thanksgiving Day. This is probably best as the American Council on Exercise reported that the average Thanksgiving meal contains about 3,000 calories. They estimated the average person would have to run for four hours to burn off that much turkey; we calculated you’d have to run a half marathon to burn Thanksgiving dinner.

Whether you’re a competitive runner or more of a mall walker, there’s no reason not to search for an event in your area and take a preemptive strike approach to these bountiful holiday. Make it a family affair and have fun with it. Last year, Capital One YMCA Turkey Trot in Dallas encouraged everyone to dress like a turkey as they attempted to set a Guinness World Record, and they did with 661 turkey costumes on the course.

Not only are turkey trots long standing, fun traditions, they are drawing serious crowds that are dedicated to doing good for others in addition to their own waistline. Here are five of the country’s largest Turkey Trots.

117th Annual YMCA Turkey Trot Buffalo, NY

This Turkey Trot can boast that it’s the oldest road race in America, even older than the Boston Marathon. The rare distance of 8 kilometers brings out more than 14,000 runners on Thanksgiving morning. Runners are asked to bring non-perishable foods to the race. Last year they collected enough to make 2,200 meals. This year, the race organizers are going big as they attempt to collect enough food for 6,000 meals. Follow along with this famous race by following the hashtag #buffaloytrot on Twitter. (more…)

Posted on November 22, 2023 by Lacy

3,000 Calories Await Americans on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is the number one food holiday in America and the day our calorie counts are the highest during the year. It’s not easy to control your portion sizes of your family’s favorite recipes, but one step to doing so is remembering that this holiday is not only about the food, it’s about giving thanks.

We thought you’d enjoy this infographic with fun Thanksgiving food facts to recognize the massive amount of calories we take in on this day so you can be mindful of what you’re eating. Slow down, enjoy the company you keep, and have a happy and healthy holiday!

Introduce some healthier Thanksgiving sides to your meal this year:

Turkey Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing

Roasted Candied Sweet Potato Casserole

Roasted Pear Gravy

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Calorie_Count

Running a Half Marathon Required to Burn off Thanksgiving Day Calories

So just how much running are you going to need to burn off your favorite Thanksgiving food? Generally, a 150-pound person running at an average pace will burn about 100 calories a mile. Here’s a breakdown of typical foods found on holiday menus and how long you’d have to run to burn them off.

Turkey – 6oz for 350 calories = 3.5 miles
Mashed Potatoes – ½ cup for 150 calories = 1.5 miles
Stuffing – ½ cup for 180 calories = 1.8 miles
Gravy – ½ cup for 180 calories = 1.8 miles
Cranberry Sauce – ½ cup for 190 calories = 1.9 miles
Rolls – 1 roll for 155 calories = 1.55 miles
Pumpkin Pie – 1 slice for 180 calories = 1.8 miles

You’ll need to run slightly more than a half marathon after Thanksgiving to burn off a standard meal, or 13.8 miles! In other words… yes, the workout is that important. If the stats are true that the average meal has us eating well above 3,000 calories, you’ll have to run further than a marathon to eat guilt free on Thursday.

This holiday is the biggest calorie bomb of the year, as Thanksgiving meals are known to be anywhere from 3,000 to 4,500 calories. While eating that much at one time is not recommended, it’s pretty much a given that there will be some over indulgence this Thursday. But, you don’t have to take these facts lying down, you could put on your running shoes and burn some serious calories and maybe some guilt, too. (more…)

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Lacy

The Best Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes

Time to gather around the table with your family for Thanksgiving this week. Thanksgiving is the official start to the holiday season, which can leave you with extra pounds on your waistline by the time New Year rolls around. We want you to enjoy every part of Thursday, especially the food. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite side dishes that focus on whole, fresh ingredients that are satisfying but won’t weigh you down.

Italian Turkey Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing

Forget stuffing from a box. One of our reader’s sent us her stuffing recipe for a healthy makeover. The stuffing recipe is now lighter and fresher, swapping ingredients like Craisins for real cranberries. You, too, can enjoy our Italian Turkey Sausage and Cranberry Stuffing with reduced calories, fat, and sugar.

Pumpkin Hummus

Need a delicious and healthy holiday appetizer? Stay away from the cheese dips and try our Pumpkin Hummus! People usually have pumpkin in a dessert after dinner, but our pumpkin appetizer is healthier and delicious enough to kick off the day! (more…)

Posted on November 21, 2023 by Samantha

3 New Mashed Potato Recipes Get Pimped for Thanksgiving

By Abra Pappa for Nutritious America

There is one serious food rule in my family: if my Grandpa asks you to pass the mashed potatoes do not serve yourself on the way over to him. He called that a “mashed potato short stop” and proclaimed if you “short stopped” in the Army the penalty was a scoop of mashed potatoes in your face.

My family takes mashed potatoes very seriously, and even though my Grandpa passed years ago we still uphold his “no mashed potato short stop” rule and have a deep respect for the honorable dish at our Thanksgiving table.

I made a dedication to embark on this makeover with an equally serious devotion. You can remake a mash, but you better be sure it is delicious and worthy of its own set of beloved table rules.

As far as I’m concerned if you start a vegetable mash with extremely fresh ingredients you will end up with something delicious. It seemed only logical then to begin this makeover with a trip to my local farmers market.

Off I went without specific recipes in mind. I allowed the seasonal bounty to inspire. I came home with veggie loot to brag about and knew I was well on my way to a delicious party of mashes.

What resulted were three thanksgiving table-worthy mashes: a twist on the traditional, a Paleo mash, and a whizz-bang-boom masterpiece! (more…)

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Nutritious_America

2024 Holiday Gift Guides: Shop and Win This Year’s Hottest Fitness and Foodie Gear

Not only do we get to help you through your gift-giving list by playing personal shopper, but we also get to play Secret Santa. Talk about two jobs we love!

Click through to each gift guide to see all 50 gift ideas and where to buy each item. Plus, enter to win each of the five gift guide prize packs, valued at almost $1800. For the first time ever, we’re giving you FOUR chances to win EACH gift guide, by commenting, Tweeting, Pinning, and sharing on Facebook.

We’ve sought out the best gear that makes the best gifts for every person on your list. Once again, we’ve filled five separate gift guides with the coolest stuff of the year for runners, foodies, yogis, gym rats, and of course healthy, active kids!

It’s our best giveaway of the year for the most wonderful time of the year!

Gym Rat Prize Pack: Inflatable stand-up paddle board from West Marine, weight lifting gear from Harbinger, Candi Factory panties, Moso air purifying bags, Contigo water bottle, DOD Fitness Donuts, and a Wello 30-minute personal training session. Value: $776.90

Runner Prize Pack: UA Spine RPM Storm shoes, Omron pedometer, Mile22 race bag souvenir bag, Flight001 shoe bag, My Arm Pocket, My Ring Guard, Gel-Bot, 2 8-packs of Gu, and Gold Bond’s Friction Defense. Value: $360.10

Yogi Prize Pack: custom Yogamatic yoga mat, Portable Pilates kit, 30-minute personal yoga session on Wello, The Big Book of Yoga, ToeSox, Yummi Yogi tree pose cookie cutter, Elements yoga DVD, and a Moso air purifying bag. Value: $240.42

Foodie Prize Pack: Ninja Professional blender, Black+Blum Soup Pot, Canadian Maple Syrup gift pack, and a copy of Taste of Home Best Loved Recipes. Value: $157.98

Healthy Kids Prize Pack: Zoku Quick Pop Maker, JumpSport iBounce, Unreal Candy sampler pack, Contigo Kids water bottle, Sip’n Spoons, Copy Kids DVD, and 4-pack of Little Green Pouches. Value $241.30 (more…)

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Natalie K

A Reader’s Thanksgiving Stuffing Recipe Gets a Healthy Makeover

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we are getting very excited about the upcoming holiday. Thanksgiving has always held a special place in my heart as I’ve always loved getting together with family and sharing a delicious meal, especially considering all the women in my family are amazing cooks. Think pies, turkey, stuffing and everything in between. Let’s just say I don’t leave hungry.

It seems everyone has their own special traditions when it comes to holiday gatherings and recipes are no exception. While passing down recipes such as your grandma’s signature “green marshmallow fluff” does hold sentimental value, more and more people are becoming conscious of their diets and desire real, whole foods instead of fake, processed ones. This is where recipe makeovers comes in. (more…)

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Dana

HealthBuzz November 16: Meatless Monday in LA, Mammogram Parties, and Holiday Appetizer Recipes

We’re just hours away from the weekend! That means it is time for a dose of healthy news from DIR and our friends. This week’s headliners from our team include People Magazines’ Sexiest Man Alive, our partnership with The Best Life Diet for a Holiday Survival Guide, and Los Angeles adoption of Meatless Monday. Also, we have headliners from Mamavation, ABC News, and Shape Magazine. Don’t forget to check out this week’s holiday appetizer recipes including a pumpkin hummus recipe found only on HelloGiggles.

5-Week Holiday Survival Guide with $5000 in Prizes from The Best Life and DietsInReview

The holidays officially starts next week on Thanksgiving. We know how hard it is to resist overeating during these festivities and to maintain a fitness routine. This is why we have partnered with The Best Life for a five-week Holiday Survival Guide. Together, we are offering more than $5000 in prizes to help you stay healthy and fit. The Holiday Survival Guide kicks off on November 20, 2024.

Channing Tatum’s Workouts Earn Him Title of Sexiest Man Alive

Every year People Magazine dubs one fine representative from the male half of Hollywood as the Sexiest Man Alive. This year’s Sexiest Man Alive is Channing Tatum, an actor in the limelight for quite some time, but 2024 was definitely his year. Check out the fitness moves that made Channing Tatum this year’s Sexiest Man Alive.

Los Angeles Adopts Meatless Monday for the Health of its Citizens

Thinking about going vegetarian for one day? Well in Los Angeles, you can go meatless on Mondays! LA City Council has approved to adopt Meatless Monday for the city, which can help with LA’s obesity problem and environmental issues as well. Do you think Meatless Mondays in LA will be successful? (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by Samantha

Holiday Cocktail Calories Make More Work for New Year’s Resolutions

A new study on the drinking patterns of adults finds that the average adult American consumes 100 calories on a daily basis from alcohol alone. Does that not sound like much? It’s actually about 16 percent of total daily calories.

Nutritionist Connie Diekman, in a report by HealthDay, explains that even 100 unneeded calories per day from alcohol translates to a ten pound per year weight gain.

Not surprisingly, men aged 20 to 29 had the highest rates of alcohol consumption at 174 calories per day, and their chosen drink was beer. One 12-ounce beer is 150 calories. The study found that six percent of women and 20 percent of men consume more than 300 calories from alcohol each day.

Of course, not everyone drinks every day, and even if they do, moderate alcohol consumption is not necessarily unhealthy. The catch is what kinds of alcohol Americans are drinking, because a glass of red wine is a lot different than a piña colada.

For the approaching holidays, cut out much of the unwanted weight gain by remembering that liquid calories count and restricting your alcohol consumption or by replacing unhealthy drinks with slimmed-down options. (more…)

Posted on November 16, 2023 by SarahS

Tag Archives: holidays

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