Thwarting Holiday weight gain
I often get asked this time of year...''Dana how can I avoid that dreaded holiday weight gain?"
Well, I realize for many of us, this is the time of year where we throw our eating habits to the wind, call it a day, say well, the new year is coming up what's the point in doing anything now?
The point is, yes, you can both enjoy the holidays and not gain weight. You may not lose weight, but you can certainly do much to not gain it.
1) You can still exercise...ie. take a family walk! Get everyone up and moving! Before you eat. By doing this you'll spend time together, time away from calorie-laden food, you'll all burn some calories, and in the process be able to chit-chat, and who knows, it may even dampen your appetite just enough to keep you from eating that last piece of 500 calorie pecan pie.
2) Alter recipes. I'm not saying don't have that green bean casserole, or don't have that pumpkin pie...but, you can certainly make healthier versions that are still delicious! Instead of using a whole stick of butter in a green bean casserole, you can reduce that to a couple tablespoons, right there you'll save over 700 calories in the whole dish! For pumpkin pie, substitute some sugar with either a sugar substitute, or for bulk, use bananas, you won' taste them, but they'll add a delicious bite. And, who needs the crust!! Cook it long enough, the bottom carmelizes, becomes cripsy, and crust-like...again, you'll save a couple hundred calories!
3) Eat a little bit of everything and really savor...by not overdoing it, you can enjoy the holidays, the company, and not a thickening waste-line.
4) Eat a little earlier in the day than you might otherwise...ie. if you would normally eat a 6 o'clock thanksgiving dinner...why not make it a 4 o'clock dunch or lincher...yes, that's the time between lunch and dinner...that way you may not need to eat two large meals before it in addition to Thanksgiving dinner...but, rather, you can have a regular breakfast, be hungry for supper, and then go into your food coma for the evening!! You save calories right there.
Well hopefully, I've given you some help and advice with that...
Remember...be happy, be healthy...move your body, and enjoy the tastes of what is my absolute favorite holiday of the year.
Well, I realize for many of us, this is the time of year where we throw our eating habits to the wind, call it a day, say well, the new year is coming up what's the point in doing anything now?
The point is, yes, you can both enjoy the holidays and not gain weight. You may not lose weight, but you can certainly do much to not gain it.
1) You can still exercise...ie. take a family walk! Get everyone up and moving! Before you eat. By doing this you'll spend time together, time away from calorie-laden food, you'll all burn some calories, and in the process be able to chit-chat, and who knows, it may even dampen your appetite just enough to keep you from eating that last piece of 500 calorie pecan pie.
2) Alter recipes. I'm not saying don't have that green bean casserole, or don't have that pumpkin pie...but, you can certainly make healthier versions that are still delicious! Instead of using a whole stick of butter in a green bean casserole, you can reduce that to a couple tablespoons, right there you'll save over 700 calories in the whole dish! For pumpkin pie, substitute some sugar with either a sugar substitute, or for bulk, use bananas, you won' taste them, but they'll add a delicious bite. And, who needs the crust!! Cook it long enough, the bottom carmelizes, becomes cripsy, and crust-like...again, you'll save a couple hundred calories!
3) Eat a little bit of everything and really savor...by not overdoing it, you can enjoy the holidays, the company, and not a thickening waste-line.
4) Eat a little earlier in the day than you might otherwise...ie. if you would normally eat a 6 o'clock thanksgiving dinner...why not make it a 4 o'clock dunch or lincher...yes, that's the time between lunch and dinner...that way you may not need to eat two large meals before it in addition to Thanksgiving dinner...but, rather, you can have a regular breakfast, be hungry for supper, and then go into your food coma for the evening!! You save calories right there.
Well hopefully, I've given you some help and advice with that...
Remember...be happy, be healthy...move your body, and enjoy the tastes of what is my absolute favorite holiday of the year.
posted by Dana M. Ellis, MPH, R.D. @ 8:01 AM
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