Swap your way to better health in the new year
A NEW Year's resolution to lose weight could help save you from future health problems - if you stick to it.
Diabetes Queensland CEO Michelle Trute said the festive season alone saw the average Aussie gain between 0.8 and 1.5 kilograms every year.
"It mightn't seem like much each year but many people never shed this excess weight," she said.
Over the course of a decade it adds up to between eight and 15 kilos, which can really start to impact on your health. The kilos can creep on because people don't realise what they drink can have just as much an impact on their waistline, as what they eat.
Ms Trute said holidays were not an excuse for people to forget the Swap It, Don't Stop It campaign encouraging healthier eating.
"This (season) try swapping your way to a healthier new year by changing regular beer for light, large glasses of wine for smaller ones, and soft drinks for water jazzed up with mint or lemon."
Ms Trute said she didn't want people to not have a good time as they holidayed and celebrated the new year, but wanted people to watch what they ate and drank.
"Diabetes Queensland isn't the Grinch and we're not saying cut out all alcoholic drinks.
"We are urging people to stay within the low-risk drinking guidelines and swap the drinks you do have for low kilojoule options."
Ms Trute said replacing watching the Test match for playing a game of cricket was also a great way to have fun and stay healthy.
"It's also important to do regular physical activity over the holidays," she said.
Rather than watching TV as a family why not go for a walk in the park or play a game of friendly backyard cricket.
For more information about healthy eating for the holiday season or to do a two-minute type 2 diabetes risk check, visit the Diabetes Queensland website diabetesqld.org.au.
