CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — If your go-to salads-and-workout routine have taken a backseat to cookies and cocktails lately, you're not alone.
Natalie Forshaw is someone we found along Ocean Drive walking for exercise and she says she has trouble staying on her health goals this time of year.
"I am, after this walk, going to go home and make a pumpkin pie," said Forshaw, "which I plan to eat on my own over the next two to three days. So yes. I do overindulge."
A new national survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center states that the most festive time of year may also be the unhealthiest.
The survey found that two-thirds of Americans overindulge in food. Moreover, more than two-in-five Americans take a break from exercising, and more than half are constantly tired and have less time for themselves.
"A lot of my patients will actually say things like, 'I know what I need to do.' It's the doing that's really hard, right? And that's common for most of us," said family medicine physician Dr. Barbara Bawer.
According to Dr. Bawer, one little word can go a long way in making your health a priority.
"Always remember you can just say no," said Dr. Bawer. "If you know that grandma is going to make an amazing cake and you look forward to it every year, then yes, indulge in that. But maybe the next time you go to a friend's house, just don't eat the dessert."
If you stop looking at all the good things in the refrigerator, especially during the holidays, it might be good for you.
Experts say that a consistent schedule can maintain normalcy in your life and help you keep your healthy habits in place – even when you're off from school or work.
But for Forshaw, the future is a question.
"I've actually had this week off from work so I've been able to walk a little more than usual. But who knows?"
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