Healthy Holiday Eating

Food is everywhere during the holiday season, making it tough to stick to your healthful eating and exercise habits. With a little attention, however, you can make it through the holidays without losing track of your healthy lifestyle.


Is it true that the average person gains 5 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day?

I always overeat at holiday functions. Can you give me some tips to help keep me on track?




There are many ways to keep your calorie intake under control during the festivities. Try these tips and see which ones work for you:

Food

• Limit gravies and dressings made from pan drippings or heavy cream. Instead of pouring from a gravy boat, pour into a spoon and drizzle on food.
  
• Most mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes are already made with butter or cream, so avoid putting extra butter on top.
  
• Survey the entire table before you take any food. Decide what foods are worth eating and what can be ignored, and then stick to that decision. Why waste calories on foods that don’t bring you pleasure?
  
• Eat a snack before you leave home. If you arrive at a party starving, you’ll be more likely to overindulge.
  

Beverages

• Eat your calories instead of drinking them. Stick to lower calorie or calorie-free drinks (diet sodas, water, light beer, or wine spritzer) instead of punches, eggnogs, and mixed drinks that can have up to 500 calories per cup.
• Sip a large glass of water between every alcoholic drink. This will help keep you hydrated and you’ll drink fewer calories by the end of the night.



• When you are the host or hostess, include nutritious and lower-calorie foods like fruits, vegetables, and lean meats on the menu.



• When you are a guest, bring along a lower-calorie dish to share.



• Watch your portion sizes



• Don’t cover your plate completely with food. In most cases, especially when it comes to holiday sweets and alcoholic beverages, less is better.



• Drop out of the “clean plate club”. Leave a few bites behind every time you eat, especially if you are eating something you don’t really care for.



• Enjoy your favorite holiday treats but take a small portion, eat slowly, and savor the taste and texture of the wonderful foods of the season.


--Emily Harrison and Meghan Stewart, Masters Students in Nutrition and Dietetic Interns at Georgia State University