The holidays are here, and even though they come with enough cookies, candy and comfort foods to last a lifetime, don't run screaming from the buffet table just yet. Food may be a centerpiece of holiday festivities, but the holiday season doesn’t mean you have to pack on the party pounds.
Try these tips for making your holidays healthful:
Take the edge off your hunger before a party. Feeling hungry can sabotage even the strongest willpower, so eat a small, low-fat snack such as fruit or low-fat cheese before you head out the door. Research has shown that those who eat breakfast tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. This will help you avoid rushing to the buffet table when you arrive. Drinking a glass of water just before you sit down to eat will help fill you up and keep you from eating too much.
Make just one trip to the party buffet. Choose only the foods you really want to eat and keep portions small. Often just a taste satisfies a food craving or curiosity. Also, move you’re socializing away from the buffet table to eliminate unconscious nibbling.
Meet and greet. Conversation is calorie-free. Get a beverage (try sparkling water and a lime twist rather than alcohol) and settle into the festivities by catching up with old friends and making new ones.
Choose lower-calorie party foods. Go easy on fried appetizers and cheese cubes. Instead, have some raw vegetables with a small amount of dip—just enough to coat the end of the vegetable— or try boiled shrimp or scallops with cocktail sauce or lemon. To help ensure there will be healthful treats, bring a dish to the party filled with raw vegetables with a yogurt or cottage cheese dip, or bring a platter of fresh fruit.
If you are at a sit-down dinner party, cut your first helping in half. That way, you can enjoy seconds (and your host or hostess will feel good about that) and the total amount of food you eat will be about the same as a normal-size portion.
Portions, Portions, Portions- practice portion control: enjoy your favorite holiday foods but be mindful of your portions. Try eating slower or using smaller plates. Fill up ½ your plate with lower calorie items such as raw veggies or shrimp cocktail. Finally, practice using a hunger rating scale (1-5) 1: ravenous 2: somewhat hungry 3: comfortable 4: comfortably full 5: stuffed. Try not to let yourself get to a 1 or a 5.
Portions are right in the palm of your hand:
- 1 cup= 2 rounded palms
- ½ c= 1 rounded palm
- 1 oz= 1 handful
- 3 oz= palm of hand
- 1 tbsp= size of thumb
- 1 tsp= tip of thumb
- 1 oz of cheese= size of thumb
Enjoy physical activity after a holiday feast. Find activities the whole family can do such as walking, biking, football or hiking, and develop family fun-time habits that can continue after the holiday season.
Be realistic. Don't try to lose weight during the holidays—this may be a self-defeating goal. Instead, strive to maintain your weight by balancing party eating with other meals. Eat small, lower-calorie meals during the day so you can enjoy celebration foods later without overdoing your total calorie intake.
Have fun. Enjoy traditional holiday meals and party foods with family and friends while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, too.
[Produced by ADA's Public Relations Team]