Pick up know-how for tackling diseases, pests and weeds.
Farm bill, farm marketing, agribusiness webinars, & farm policy.
Find tactics for healthy livestock and sound forages.
Scheduling and methods of irrigation.
Explore our Extension locations around the state.
Commercial row crop production in Arkansas.
Agriculture weed management resources.
Use virtual and real tools to improve critical calculations for farms and ranches.
Learn to ID forages and more.
Explore our research locations around the state.
Get the latest research results from our county agents.
Our programs include aquaculture, diagnostics, and energy conservation.
Keep our food, fiber and fuel supplies safe from disaster.
Private, Commercial & Non-commercial training and education.
Specialty crops including turfgrass, vegetables, fruits, and ornamentals.
Find educational resources and get youth engaged in agriculture.
Gaining garden smarts and sharing skills.
Timely tips for the Arkansas home gardener.
Creating beauty in and around the home.
Maintenance calendar, and best practices.
Coaxing the best produce from asparagus to zucchini.
What’s wrong with my plants? The clinic can help.
Featured trees, vines, shrubs and flowers.
Ask our experts plant, animal, or insect questions.
Enjoying the sweet fruits of your labor.
Herbs, native plants, & reference desk QA.
Growing together from youth to maturity.
Crapemyrtles, hydrangeas, hort glossary, and weed ID databases.
Get beekeeping, honey production, and class information.
Grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
Schedule these timely events on your gardening calendar.
Equipping individuals to lead organizations, communities, and regions.
Guiding communities and regions toward vibrant and sustainable futures.
Guiding entrepreneurs from concept to profit.
Position your business to compete for government contracts.
Find trends, opportunities and impacts.
Providing unbiased information to enable educated votes on critical issues.
Increase your knowledge of public issues & get involved.
Research-based connection to government and policy issues.
Support Arkansas local food initiatives.
Read about our efforts.
Preparing for and recovering from disasters.
Licensing for forestry and wildlife professionals.
Preserving water quality and quantity.
Cleaner air for healthier living.
Firewood & bioenergy resources.
Managing a complex forest ecosystem.
Read about nature across Arkansas and the U.S.
Learn to manage wildlife on your land.
Soil quality and its use here in Arkansas.
Learn to ID unwanted plant and animal visitors.
Timely updates from our specialists.
Eating right and staying healthy.
Ensuring safe meals.
Take charge of your well-being.
Cooking with Arkansas foods.
Making the most of your money.
Making sound choices for families and ourselves.
Nurturing our future.
Get tips for food, fitness, finance, and more!
Understanding aging and its effects.
Giving back to the community.
Managing safely when disaster strikes.
Listen to our latest episode!
TEXARKANA, Ark. –
It is a seemingly endless time of temptation that starts with Halloween candy and goes through Thanksgiving stuffing, Christmas dinners, New Year’s toasts, Super Bowl chips and dips and Valentine’s Day chocolates. That’s about four months of feasting. When we feast without control, we set ourselves up for bad patterns, ill health and weight gain.
Over the year, weight gain is usually attributed to holiday weight gain. So, it is going to be essential to make sure you maintain your weight during the holiday season
As temperatures turn cold, our appetite increases for high-calorie, high-carbohydrate foods—stews, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese. When we give in to those cravings for sugary, starchy foods, blood sugar spikes and then falls, setting up a cycle that keeps the appetite in motion.
Winter also cuts into physical activity. Since exercise helps increase serotonin levels, if we’re not exercising, our appetite increases, and ultimately that means we’re eating more and moving less—a disaster plan for weight gain.
Maintaining weight is the balance of energy. If you take in more calories than you burn in physical activity, you store the extra energy around your body in fat and weight gain. To maintain weight, you have to balance the energy you eat with the energy you burn. This, of course, demands that we regularly exercise.
If your weight gain can be contributed to the holidays, be sure to exercise during the holidays. Add physical activity to your daily routine, such as taking stairs, parking at the back of the parking lot and dance if the holiday party includes dancingIf you can schedule holiday food celebrations, make them at normal meal times. Choosing a smaller plate can help you from over-filling the large plate; when your little plate is full, you will readily see that you have a lot of food. When there is space on a plate, we are tempted to continue to load it.
Start your meal with soup or salad so that you’re not tempted to eat second helpings of cornbread dressing and mashed potatoes with gravy. Choose more vegetables and if you have dessert, choose angel food cake, ginger bread or fruit. If you can’t pass up the brownies and chocolate cake, have a much smaller piece than you normally would.
Some people find it helpful to eat some lower calorie foods before attending the party so that they have already eaten and can make themselves limit choices at the festivity. It is much easier to keep off weight than to take off weight.
If you can practice awareness, manage your stress and emotions and plan in advance you can conquer the holiday weight gain. Be realistic, it is best to maintain weight during this period of time instead of trying to lose weight. Keep in mind that celebrations are really about family and friends—not food.
For more information, contact the Miller County Extension Office, 870-779-3609 or visit us in room 215 at the Miller County Courthouse.
Serve a healthy and flavorful appetizer by making Orange Cranberry Delight and serving it in the middle of a platter or assorted wheat crackers.
By Carla Due County Extension Agent - FCSThe Cooperative Extension ServiceU of A System Division of Agriculture
Miller County Cooperative Extension Service400 Laurel Street, Suite 215 Texarkana AR 71854 (870) 779-3609 cdue@uada.edu