Ah the holidays…a time for family, friend, fun…and, of course, food. Lots of Food. Every goodie from turkey with all the trimmings, to Latkes, and Grandma’s special cookies. Nowhere is family tradition more evident than in the goodies that fill our holiday tables.
So, how’s a health-conscious person to handle all these culinary land-mines? How do you truly enjoy the culinary offerings of the season without feeling deprived, or do you dig in and just pay the price of extra pounds and sagging energy come January 1st.
Here are some simple tips adapted from nutrition blogger, Nicci Micco, who posts on a website entitled “www.eatingwell.com.”
CHALLENGE: Hard-to-resist homemade treats
STRATEGY: Make room in your diet for some small goodie by paring down calories and carbs ahead of time. Also, try not to keep a supply of temptations in your home.
CHALLENGE: A decadent buffet spread at your friend’s holiday party
STRATEGY: Don’t graze. Mindless picking can easily add up to a meal’s worth—or more—of calories. Rather, plan to eat one of your three daily meals at the party. Inspect the offerings first before loading up. First trip should be for vegetables and salad. If you don’t think this will be available, how about offering to bring one to share!
CHALLENGE: Eating out all the time
STRATEGY: Plan your eating. If you don’t think about dinner until dinnertime, you’re likely to eat out or bring take-out home. Typically these choices have more calories, carbs, sugar, fat and salt than homemade meals. Keep healthy staples on hand to make a quick dinner such as canned beans and tuna, whole-wheat pasta, couscous, frozen vegetables and shrimp. Going to be out all day? Get that Slow Cooker going for something delish when you get home hungry and too tired to cook.
CHALLENGE: Reaching for sugary, caffeinated drinks when you need a boost
STRATEGY: Those special coffee drinks can add up to hundreds of extra calories—especially if you add that whipped cream on top. Choose skim milk in your beverages and skip the added sugar and syrups. The skim milk is also good source of dairy. If you notice you’re relying on caffeine for the jolt you need to get through the day, try taking a nap instead, and pacing your activity.
CHALLENGE: Forgotten calories
STRATEGY: Oh how easy it is to become mindless when we eat, especially if we are out with a group and enjoying fun and lively conversation. You may want to consider keeping a food diary—writing down (honestly) everything that you eat. This is a bit of an effort, but it yields big results in building mindfulness about what and how much we eat.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, tasty holiday season!