Fitnessgirl's Blog

Dinners, Drinks & Sweets, Oh My!

 

 

It’s that time of year again. The holidays – love them or dread them  – we can’t escape them.  And along with the holidays come articles, newsclips and advice on how to “eat healthy during the holidays”.  Is it really possible with the numerous family dinners, holiday parties, social gatherings, happy hours, potlucks, treat days, cookie exchanges, luncheons, travel, shopping, and stress???  Temptations abound at this time of the year more than any other and healthy routines can get off track.  Is this a mission  im-possible?  Actually, armed with a few fresh tips, common sense, mindfulness and a real desire to do better, it can be done!  Sometimes we just need a little reminding.  Here’s my top ten tips to stay on track.

 

 

#1 MODERATION –We’ve heard this one before, but truly this is the number one thing to remember. You can have a bit of everything in moderation.. What is moderation? Saying “no” to seconds. Taking just  a “taste” of the high calorie foods. Eating only until you are almost full. Use a smaller plate and don’t pile it high. Leave some space on your plate by taking only so much that none of the foods touch. Place your napkin over your plate after you are finished and clear away your dinnerware soon after you’ve finished.

 

 

#2 DEPRIVATION – A big diet crasher is to deprive yourself of things you’d like to eat. But also depriving yourself of regular meals and good nutrition. Holiday shopping, running errands and preparing for events can lead to poor nutritional choices. Try to resist the temptation to resort to fast food, the dreaded food court or even skipping meals.  Don’t deprive yourself of your regular eating habits and meals. Eat breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks as usual before a big holiday dinner or party.  Treat the holiday meal like any other meal but with just very special foods. Eat in moderation, prevent deprivation!

 

 

#3 SATISFACTION – Satisfy your cravings by allowing yourself a piece of chocolate, a glass of wine, small slice of pie. Enjoy eating the items you choose or you will feel guilty instead of satisfied.   If you eat in moderation and don’t deprive yourself, you will feel satisfied and therefore less likely to overeat or binge.

 

 

#4 SENSATION –  Eating and drinking are sensory experiences and meant to be enjoyed.  Eating includes all of the five senses – taste, touch, smell, sight, and even hearing – enjoy the crunch of a cookie, the slurp of a soup, the pop of a champagne cork. Take your time and savor every bite and sip. Sit down to eat , don’t stand and talk and nibble from the food table. You’ll eat more and enjoy it less.

 

 

#5 REGULATION – Keep to your regular sleeping, exercising and eating schedule as much as possible.  Stick with your routine and monitor your calendar. Keeping close to your regular schedule may decrease your stress level(preventing stress eating) and increase your energy level. You’ll be in control which will help you control your cravings.

 

 

#6 SUBSTITUTION – It is no longer cool to say – I don’t eat low fat/low sugar, low salt, low calorie. When you can substitute an ingredient or a food with a healthier alternative, why wouldn’t you? With the myriad of health problems facing American adults and the child obesity epidemic, it only makes sense to reduce calories, fat, sugar and salt whenever possible. It is easier than ever to make substitutions with the variety of healthier options available.  Substitute fat free mushroom soup for the full fat version in green bean casserole.  Use salt alternatives to increase flavor in dishes like stuffing and vegetables. Lower sugar content in sweet treats by replacing some of the sugar with a sugar substitute. Just a few changes can make big difference in the calorie count and healthiness of holiday recipes.

 

 

#7 SELECTION –  The holidays bring so many foods and drinks to choose from. Dinners may consist of ten different dishes. Parties may have a buffet of  sweets and treats 50 feet long. Selecting what you eat may be as important as the old moderation philosophy. Be mindful and think about your choices. Do you really need a roll  and butter with your meal? No – skip it. What to do with six different desserts to choose from?  Choose one that you really want to eat and take a small portion. Don’t take a “sample” of them all.  Begin your meal with either a healthy vegetable salad or a few raw veggies. Watch the dressings and skip the dip unless you know they are low fat healthy versions. Choose turkey over ham. Pick boiled shrimp over fried oysters.  Leave off the gravy. Scrape off the marshmallows from the sweet potatoes. Save yourself some calories with good selections and have a little desert or a holiday drink.

 

 

#8 LIBATION – Holiday drinks can be a diet destructor on their own. From eggnog to glog, beet to wine, and everything in between, the variety of drinks offered up may rival the food. Alcohol contains empty calories ranging from 100 for a light beer to1000 for a large margarita or a few eggnogs. But calories aren’t the only hazard to your health with too much holiday libation. Celebrations can easily lead to drinking a bit more than we usually do. Keep yourself, your family and others safe. Drink in moderation. Designate a driver. Plan to stay over. Drink water and eat healthy snacks between alcoholic beverages. You’ll consume less calories and feel better in the morning.

 

 

#9 EDUCATION – Learn what your best food choices are and know what ingredients are in the dishes you are eating. Surf the internet and use your resources for healthy recipes and calorie counters. Find healthy recipes and how many calories you burn doing an activity on www.myapex.com.  Get the calorie count and nutrition information of foods at www.calorieking.com . Do you know how many calories are in a piece of pumpkin pie? A glass of wine? A serving of stuffing?  A slice of ham?  Read labels, research recipes, and get informed  about cooking and your health.

 

 

#10 CELEBRATION – It is a tradition to combine celebrations with food. It has been said that food and drink bring people together. Combine food, drink and the holidays and the celebrating can get out of control! But if you remember the other nine tips listed here, you’ll have a reason to celebrate. You may just get through the holidays with your weight  and your health in tact. It is the enjoyment, the sharing and the excitement of the season that is the real cause for celebration. 

 

 

Eat & Drink (in moderation)  & Be Merry for your New Year!