Healthy Eating Tips For the Holidays

By Ilana Katz MS, RD, LD

Just the word "holidays" may conjure up images of cookies and pies, gorging yourself on turkey and all the trimmings, and packing on the pounds. Sure, the holiday season is a time for festive gatherings with family and friends. It is also the time of year when we see tempting treats everywhere we turn. With the hustle and bustle that is part of the season it is easy to get off the healthy track. That doesn't mean that you have to put on blinders and forego the holidays. Whether you are the host or guest to a holiday party you can still indulge with a few smart choices

Tips For Enjoying A Healthy Holiday Season

Be realistic. The average American gains 6 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. Trying to lose weight during the holidays will be an uphill battle. Instead, setting your goal at maintaining your weight during the holidays will be more realistic.

Do not arrive at holiday parties hungry! Nine out of 10 individuals will overeat if they skip meals. Our bodies are designed to eat every four to five hours. Skipping meals to "save calories" for party eating will set you up for failure. Eat a light meal before a party eating will set you up for failure. Eat a light meal before a party and you will arrive in control of your appetite and actually eat less. Remember to drink a lot of water before you leave home and after you arrive. Not only will this help keep your system cleaned out but it will also take up space so you don't feel the need to eat or drink so much of any other offerings.

Make time for exercise during the holidays. Even the best-derived plans leave room for error. Exercise will help burn off some additional calories. Keep in mind, however, that you have to walk approximately 30 minutes at 4 miles per hour to burn off one small slice of pumpkin pie. Stick to your regular exercise routine as much as possible. With large family and friend gatherings, you might even be able to persuade others to join you in an after-dinner constitutional. Besides burning up a few calories, this gets everyone out of the house for a little while and is usually good for a few laughs, all of which can help minimize extra holiday stress.

Limit your alcohol intake to one to two drinks. Calories from alcohol add up quickly, particularly if you are consuming mixed drinks. Yes, they are empty calories (a glass of wine is about 100 calories), but more important, alcohol affects willpower. "Alcohol lowers your inhibitions, so you tend to eat more when you drink more"

Be a social butterfly. Holidays are a time to be sociable. Spend time enjoying the company of others. The more you talk, the less you will eat.

Do not wear loose-fitting clothes during the holidays.

Fill up on vegetables and fruits. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals and disease-fighting phytochemicals, while low in calories. The fiber in these foods may help you feel full and leave less room for high-calorie, tempting treats.

Donate food gifts to a food pantry. Don't even tempt yourself by bringing holiday favorites home.

Offer to bring a dish to holiday gatherings. If you can, bring a healthy dish with you. Bring a fruit or vegetable tray to holiday parties, but use your imagination. Include special treats such as star fruit, mangoes, blanched asparagus or sliced avocado. "Make it a little different so it feels special and it's a treat,"

Use a smaller plate so that there's not so much room to pile on all that wonderful food. But be honest with yourself, a smaller plate does not mean more layers! This helps starting with a small helping of whatever will fit on your plate. If you feel that you must have more of something, go back for seconds.

Try to resist eating or drinking just to be doing it. Notice if you are really hungry or thirsty before digging in.

Make a wholehearted effort to stick to your eating plan, but if there's something you must have, have some and enjoy it. Maybe you can eat a smaller portion than you would have in the past, but don't make it your "forbidden fruit." Have a little and love it. Get your fix so the urge doesn't build up and you want more and more and more.

Lighten up meals that you prepare . Every calorie counts, so even making small concessions can contribute to fewer calories consumed:

o When preparing turkey, choose a plain bird, rather than a self-basting bird. Remove the skin on turkey before eating.

o Use a gravy cup or refrigerate the pan juices and skim the fat off the top before making gravy. (It can remove up to 56 grams of fat per cup of gravy.)

o When preparing dressing, use a little less bread and add more onions, celery, vegetables and even such fruits as cranberries and apples.

o Leave out the margarine and marshmallows when preparing yams. Instead, sweeten the dish with fruit juice, such as apple, and flavor it with cinnamon.

o When preparing mashed potatoes, use skim milk, garlic powder and a little parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter.

o Sieve fat from the gravy and eat the skinless turkey breast, which is leaner.

Final advice - simply do the best you can. Enjoy, have fun, get over it. Food is part of our culture. Try to be smart about it, but don't beat yourself up over it."

BUT remember - It's a holiday, not a holimonth," "It's not a 31-day binge.