Holiday eating: We all have our holiday favorites, turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. But overindulge and you'll pay the price. According to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, most people don't ever lose the one to two pounds they gain during the holidays. The news is worse for those already overweight, they pack on five pounds.
But it could be worse. While the extra weigh gained at the holidays can accumulate through the years can be a major contributor to obesity later in life, the numbers are much lower than the popular belief that most people gain from five to ten pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.
St. Mary's Health Center dietitian Denise Coots says this is not a time to start a new diet, but you should watch your weight. "Weigh yourself, know where you're at and try to keep from gaining weight," says Coots.
Cutting calories:
You can cut calories by making some smart choices. Start with appetizers. Skip the cocktail meatballs weighing in at 85 calories each and load up on shrimp cocktail with just 13 calories per shrimp.
As for the turkey? Should you go white meat or dark? While white meat has fewer calories, about 46 in an ounce, dark meat only has four more per ounce. Don't eat the skin, and when you're preparing your gravy-refrigerate the stock first to let the fat harden and then skim that off the top. That alone can save you 55 grams of fat per cup.
And here's a way to save calories on dessert. Pecan pie can pack a whopping 500 calories a slice. Try this and slash 200 calories. "You can use a little bit less nuts and add in some oats. And that's going to bump up the fiber while taking down the fat," says Holly Pudwill, a dietitian in Florida.
Smart choices:
Coots says you can still try a wide variety of foods, but watch your portion sizes. "Maybe pick out one or two of our favorite foods and have nice small amounts of them so we don't get so stuffed. Then fill the rest of our plate with lots of fruits and veggies."
Nutrition strategies:
Here are more strategies from the Cleveland Clinic to face the holidays in a healthy way.
1. Get Moving: One of the most effective ways to maintain or lose body weight is to engage in regular, sustained aerobic activity.
2. Aim for seven-a-day: Making sure you eat seven or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day is a great way to help fill-up your stomach but not your calorie level.
3. Limit to one-a-day: Allow yourself one small serving of a cookie or piece of candy each day during the holiday season.
4. Never go to a party hungry
5. Be in charge of your choices: choose small plates of food, avoid sauces made from cream, half and half, or meat drippings, limit alcohol to 1 or 2 servings and pick low-calorie beverages.
6. Say No politely: Many times you feel forced to eat because people keep putting it in front of you. Learn to say no politely, such as "No thank you, I've had enough. Everything was delicious" or "I couldn't eat another bite. Everything tasted wonderful".
7. Focus on socializing: Conversation is calorie-free
More local advice:
Kristy Lang, a clinical dietitian with Boone Hospital's WELLAWARE service offers more tips to keep you on the right track this holiday season.
1. Don't skip breakfast and lunch in preparation for Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner (you just overeat even more) 2. At holiday meals, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables and the other half with protein and you favorite dishes. Don't eat seconds.
3. If grazing on appetizers before a meal, make yourself one plate and stick with it. Carry the plate with you, which will remind you not to continue munching until dinner since you already had a plate full.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation. Not only do alcoholic drinks pack a lot of calories, they also lower inhibitions to watch food choices. ·
5. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years are each one-day events. So celebrate on the day and then return to your normal eating habits the next day. It's the month long food-fest that usually causes us to gain weight more than an individual food or meal.
6. Focus on spending time with family and friends and try to stay away from the kitchen or buffet table if you're easily tempted.
service offers more tips to keep you on the right track this holiday season.
1. Don't skip breakfast and lunch in preparation for Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner (you just overeat even more) 2. At holiday meals, fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables and the other half with protein and you favorite dishes. Don't eat seconds.
3. If grazing on appetizers before a meal, make yourself one plate and stick with it. Carry the plate with you, which will remind you not to continue munching until dinner since you already had a plate full.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation. Not only do alcoholic drinks pack a lot of calories, they also lower inhibitions to watch food choices. ·
5. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years are each one-day events. So celebrate on the day and then return to your normal eating habits the next day. It's the month long food-fest that usually causes us to gain weight more than an individual food or meal.
6. Focus on spending time with family and friends and try to stay away from the kitchen or buffet table if you're easily tempted.