It is
officially the week of Thanksgiving, which means holiday gatherings are already
in full swing. Between all of the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with
co-workers, families and friends, we now celebrate the holidays from
mid-November thru the beginning of January. This is a fun time of the year and
holidays are definitely meant to be celebrated, but all of the back-to-back
celebrations can make it a little tricky to find balance when there is rich and
delicious food waiting for you at every holiday party. A common concern during
this time of year is how to ward off that holiday weight gain. The good news is
your body can bounce back rather quickly after one day of indulging. However, when one day of celebrating
turns into days and days turn into weeks and weeks turn into months, all of
those extra calories can really add up. Here are a few tips to help you balance
out the holiday fun and maintain your healthy lifestyle:
1. Anticipate the event, but focus on
the non-eating aspects you enjoy. Too often we get wrapped up in all the food and
forget to focus on socializing with those around us. When you look back at past
holidays, what do your favorite memories consist of? Is it the people or the food?
Interacting with those around you can help you keep your mind off of the piles
of food that surround you.
2. Be active on the days of your
celebrations and also throughout the holiday season. Start your day with a
workout. Get up and go for walk, or jog or bike ride or head to the gym before
you head out to the celebration. After the meal, try to get the whole group
involved in a game of flag football, a group walk, a scavenger hunt around town
or find a nearby ice skating rink. These activities can all help you burn off
some of the extra calories you will be consuming.
3. Eat a balanced breakfast and/or a
healthy snack before you head out to the main event. If the celebration isn’t
until the evening hours, make sure you eat something for lunch too. Do not fast
all day to save up for the big meal later. That will only make you more prone
to overeating later.
4. Bring a healthy appetizer or dish to
the event. This ensures that there will be something healthy for you to eat. A
veggie tray is always a good option.
5. Socialize in a different room than
where all of the food is located. If you sit around all of the food you will
only be tempted to keep grazing on all of the appetizers before the meal. Grab
a small plate of appetizers and your favorite drink and go hang out in a room
away from all of the food.
6. Follow the plate method. If this is a
new concept for you, here’s a visual of what this entails:
The plate method is a way to enjoy a
variety of foods and helps keep your portions in check. A healthy plate
includes selections from all of the food groups. If you follow the above plate
method you will get fruit, vegetables, grains, protein and dairy. Indulge in your favorites but be mindful of portions. It should also be noted that the plate
method is based on a 9-inch plate. Side note: Thanksgiving is the only day
where green bean casserole gets to be counted as a vegetable :)
7. A lot of our favorite holiday recipes
include ingredients such as butter, sour cream, cream cheese and mayonnaise. These
ingredients are all very high in fat, which also makes them high in calories.
Did you know that Greek yogurt can be a healthy substitution for these
high-fat, high-calorie items? Here are some helpful substitutions:
- 1 cup butter = ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt + ½ cup butter
- 1 cup of oil = ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup of sour cream = 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup of mayonnaise = 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup cream cheese = 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup buttermilk = 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt + ¼ cup buttermilk
Remember,
above all else, enjoy the holiday season with those you love. I hope these tips
help you conquer these next six weeks of celebrating effortlessly. And when
it’s all over, get back to your normal eating and exercise habits as soon as possible.
As always, please stop by the dietitian office if you have any questions or
need some ideas for healthy appetizers! Happy Holidays!
-Dietitian Amanda
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