Posted: Sun Dec 09, 2007 12:18 pm Post subject: Holiday health tips
Quote:
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. Eating lighter foods doesn't mean taking the joy out of celebrating. It only means skimming off the fat, cutting back a little and learning to modify traditional recipes. Try the following pointers.
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 a bagel, before you head out the door. This will help you avoid rushing to the buffet table when you arrive at a party.
Make just one trip to the party buffet. And be selective!
Survey the buffet table and decide what is there that you would like to eat. Divide these into 3 groups:
Low-fat foods that you like
High-fat holiday foods that you like
High-fat foods that you like, but which you can find everyday.
Fill your plate with the foods from the first group, take small servings of the foods in the second group, and completely avoid the foods in the third group.
Often just a taste satisfies a craving or curiosity. Also, move your socializing away from the buffet table; this will eliminate unconscious nibbling. Pay attention to portion sizes. Instead of eating twice what you usually do, set down your fork when you start feeling full.
Choose lower-calorie party foods. Raw vegetables with a small amount of dip – just enough to coat the end of the vegetable is a good choice. Try boiled shrimp or scallops with cocktail sauce or lemon. Go easy on fried appetizers and cheese cubes. 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.
Enjoying a sit-down dinner party? Make your first helping small. That way, if your host or hostess expects you to take seconds, the total amount will be about the same as a normal-size portion.
Enjoy dinner conversation - you'll spend less time eating and more time enjoying yourself visiting with friends. Take time to greet people you know – conversation is calorie-free! Get a beverage, and settle into the festivities before eating. Try sparkling water and a lime twist rather than wine, champagne or a mixed drink. Sparkling water doesn't supply calories.
Cooking Tips: If you're cooking turkey for a small group, instead of wrestling with a 20-pound bird, why not buy just a part of the turkey, like the breast? Then you won't have a platter of leftovers to tempt you.
Prepare the stuffing outside the bird, so it doesn't absorb the fat.
Use skim milk instead of whole milk in the mashed potatoes.
Make sugar cookies with a third less sugar--they're still delicious! And for a lower-calorie frosting, you can't beat light cream cheese mixed with a little honey.
Chew on gum while cooking to keep you from snacking.
Freeze treats after you bake them and take out only the amount you need when guests arrive.
Be active and keep moving. Don't make food the focal point of all your activities. Plan a special hike with the family on a day when you are all together. Even just a walk around the block after dinner can help to burn off the extra calories as well as get you away from the food for a while.
Here is a great webpage if you are or you know somebody that is diabetic, this webpage features a ton of good holiday and everyday recipes, so these folks can get the most but safe enjoyment out of the holidays too.
