HOLIDAY CHEER!
By Lynn Gaston
It’s hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us once again. Soon our homes will be awash with good cheer with the help of both friends and family. Some of you may be spending the holidays at someone else’s home for the holidays. Either way, it seems like just yesterday we were ringing in the New Year and now we’re weeks away from 2011. With every new holiday season comes the opportunity to share and create long-lasting memories along with a slice of pie or two.
Soon, the smell of good food and sweet things will permeate the air and with it a hunger that can seem downright insatiable. Traditionally, food is the centerpiece of most family holidays. Tables will overflow with fat and sugar laden deserts and foods that are just so tempting to us that we end up binging and often regretting it later. Mounds of potatoes, rivers of gravy, quarries of salad, and a counter full of confections are only a plate away!
How can we stay within our caloric limits when partaking in the merriment, without resolving to lose the pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day? Here are some guidelines that you can follow to help keep the holidays “Happy and Healthy”.
DON'T FORGET TO EAT
People tend to overeat when they skip meals before the holiday feast. It is recommended that you eat at least a reasonable breakfast and/or lunch before the holiday meal so that you will not feel the urge to over indulge.
You may also consider drinking a glass of water or two before eating so that you do not overeat. That water in your stomach will cause you to feel full on less food.
SMALLER PORTIONS
As with any diet, you don’t necessarily need to deprive yourself of your favorite cake or cookies as long as you eat a reasonable amount. One approach is to eat smaller portions of the food you love. Eating smaller amounts can still satisfy your sweet tooth or your craving for that luscious pecan pie. You can enjoy more of what’s available if you eat smaller portions and space your consumption out over a period of time instead of indulging in everything at once. Eating in large quantities of confections can raise your blood sugar level exponentially, leaving you tired and wanting to take that afternoon nap.
Actually, napping after eating a large meal is your body’s signal that you need to rest so your body can convert the food that you just ate into energy. Unfortunately, the calories that cannot be converted become stored fat and that’s where the trouble begins. Eating slowly and in moderation is crucial to curbing both your hunger and caloric intake.
MODERATION
You may also opt to eat several small meals instead of one huge meal. Some diet plans are setup in the same fashion, instead of eating all of your calories at once, you space out your daily calorie intake over six smaller meals. This option gives your body more time to burn off the calories you eat more efficiently while you still enjoy eating what you like.
VARIATION
Another consideration during the holidays is trying different versions of your favorite food. For example, there are various ways to make eggnog with different types of ingredients (including soy). Some stores sell low-fat and fat-free eggnog and make an excellent alternative to the high fat, and high calorie version. Depending on your taste, you can also try to recreate your own eggnog with different recipes that are posted on the Internet. Buying healthier choice foods and beverages can help reduce the high amount of calories that come with some traditional foods.
This holds true for platter dishes as well. There are various low fat cheeses, mayonnaise, creams, spreads, and crackers available in most stores. You may also want to consider eating more fruits and vegetables by creating your own healthy platter to serve friends and family.
For low additional low fat and fat free recipes visit lowfatcooking.about.com for some great holiday dish alternatives.
WATCH OUT FOR HIGH CALORIE ITEMS
Consider eating less fried foods or products that are heavy in creams or cheeses. Products that are smoked, dried, or processed can also be high in calories including different packaged holiday meats. Pastries and baked goods (in general) are also chock-full of calories and full of sugar. Yams, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pies, and cheese balls are all high calorie items. You can also consider buying gluten and casein free foods that are lower in calories and a healthy alternative.
DRINKING
Alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories. Light beer and non-alcoholic versions are lower calorie alternatives.
Soda is loaded with calories and sugar, as an alternative to soda, there are many popular brand zero calorie sodas to choose from including Coke and Pepsi. These non-fattening drinks are popular with health conscious consumers. Coffee and tea are also excellent drink choices when using low fat cream and artificial sweeteners.
GET ACTIVE
One way to combat those high amounts of calories and that sluggish feeling that you get when you eat a lot is to get moving. Try taking a walk whether you walk inside the house or outside. The key is to keep moving. Take a walk with friends or family around the neighborhood (weather permitting).
CALORIE ALERT!
There are several fattening foods that you should be on the lookout for when you are watching your waistline. They are Pecan Pie (800 calories a slice), Mashed Potatoes with Gravy (350 calories a serving), Cranberry Sauce (418 calories per serving), Cheesecake (150 calories per slice), Candied Yams (170 calories per serving) and Dinner Rolls (70 calories each).
With the average total calorie intake recommended per day being 1800 for women and 2300 calories for men it makes sense to consider healthier alternatives whenever possible or just eating what you like in smaller portions.
To get a good calculation of how many calories might be in your meal this holiday season, visit caloriecount.about.com.
ON A SIDE NOTE
According to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the median weight gainof 195 research participants during the period from Thanksgiving to New Years was less than one pound!
To read about this study visit:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.156/NEJM200003233421206
Enjoy the holidays and remember to be health conscious when indulging in your favorite food and drink.
Happy Holidays from the Staff at MABESAFETYEWS!