How to Enjoy Healthy Holiday Eating

Yum. The holidays are almost here. I can smell the cookies baking, the turkey, the Christmas ham, the mince pies, apple pies, pumpkin pies, sweet potato pies, chocolate pies…yum yum!

On the other hand, I’ve just knocked off a few pounds and I don’t want to put them back on with an orgy of eating. Thanksgiving is at my daughter-in-law’s this year, and I really don’t want her to feel insulted because I didn’t eat the things she made specially because our side of the family likes them. It’s enough to ratchet my holiday stress up another notch.

So…I went hunting for some tips to keep holiday eating reasonably healthy. I found these seven from Dr. Lisa Young of the Huffington Post. She says:

“Here are some tips that I’ve successfully used with clients in my nutrition counseling practice. Even if you just incorporate a few of them into your daily routine, you are taking a step in the right direction, and by the new year, these small steps may develop into full-fledged habits.

1. Eat structured meals.
2. Pack a healthy snack.
3. Indulge in favorite treats sparingly and watch your portions.
   
4. Stay hydrated.
5. Include plenty of fruits and veggies.
6. Stick to your exercise routine.
7. Don’t fret. Tomorrow’s a new day.”

Click here to read the details. 

Here are some strategies from Real Simple:

• The Strategy: Bring Your Own Food. Contribute a healthy dish to a gathering to ensure there’s something you can indulge in.
• The Strategy: Don’t Go Hungry to the Mall. To cut down on the lure of the food court, never go to the mall on an empty stomach.
• The Strategy: Keep Track of What You Eat. Maintain a food diary to help you stay committed to your goals during this risky eating period.
• The Strategy: Eat Before Going to a Party. Before going out, have a healthy snack to curb your appetite.
• The Strategy: Keep Healthy Snacks at the Office. Stash healthy foods in your desk at work so you’re not as tempted by the treats piling up at the office.
• The Strategy: Manage Portion Size. Take sensible portions so you don’t end up eating too much.
• The Strategy: Control Your Environment. At a big sit-down supper, be the last one to start and the second one to stop eating.
• The Strategy: Keep Up the Exercise. Schedule time for exercise and stick to it. It can be a little shorter, but don’t skip.
• The Strategy: Choose Your Indulgences. Eat those things that are unique to the holiday and choose reasonable portions.”

Click here to read it all. 

Here are some healthy substitutes my family is trying this year. We got some of them from last year’s Canadian posting for a more healthy holiday.

• Green beans lightly sauteed in cooking spray and tossed with slivered almonds and lemon.
• Oven roasted root veggies turn out beautifully if you remember to cut the vegetables the sizes appropriate to their fiberousness They should then cook evenly. Use just a tiny bit of vegetable oil instead of butter.
• You can substitute half of the butter in a cookie or cake recipe with applesauce or mashed bananas. They say pureed prunes work, too, but I haven’t been that brave.
• Mashed sweet potatoes have more fiber and beta-carotene. Try buttermilk or milk instead of butter and cream and leave the marshmallows in the bag!
• Use whole grain breads for stuffing. Replace sausage with fruit, nuts, and veggies. Dried cranberries are our favorite.
• Try mashed cauliflower instead of mashed white potatoes. Use turkey broth instead of some of the butter. Don’t make them too runny…that’s a dead giveaway to skeptical family members.
• Sodium…use low sodium or no sodium whenever you can. Let folks add it at the table if they notice it is missing.

From WebMD, the following tips collected by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, as the Top 10 Holiday Diet Tips of All Time. Here is an excerpt.

To navigate the party landmines with your healthy diet intact, you need a strategy. Experts agree: Having a plan in place will help you handle night after night of eating and drinking.

“Think of your appetite as an expense account, and figure out how much you want to spend on drinks, appetizers, entrees, and dessert,” advises Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don’t Work. She suggests giving yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods — in sensible portions.

To help you survive the seasonal parties without packing on the pounds, WebMD consulted diet gurus across the country for their best holiday diet tips. Here are their top 10 recommendations:

1. Trim back the trimmings.
2. Wear snug clothes and keep one hand busy.
3. Chew gum.
4. Be a food snob.
5. No skipping meals.
6. Check out the party. Take some time to have a sparkling water and socialize.
7. Add fun and games.
8. Alternate alcohol with nonalcoholic beverages.
9. Skip the appetizers.
10. Limit the variety.

This is an article well worth reading in its entirety. Click here to go to read it.

Certainly we can have a jolly holiday and enjoy the foods we love that bring warm fuzzies to us. We just have to remember the key is moderation.

Happy and Healthy Holiday Eating