Decking the halls without tipping the scales
According to research conducted by the National Institutes of Health
in the last five years, adults gain an average of more than one pound during
the holiday season, and this gain is not reversed after the first of
the year or even during the spring and summer months. Although this gain
is probably less than most people would expect after all of the holiday
gorging, over time it can add up.
So what can we do to keep weight gain under control during the holidays?
Moderation is the key. Enjoy those favorite holiday foods, but balance
them with regular physical activity and common sense. To help, Dr. Jenna
Anding, associate department head and extension program leader for Texas
Cooperative Extension’s
Foods and Nutrition Unit, offered the following tips to help you resist
temptation during the holiday season:
- Balance party foods and meals with other meals. Eat smaller meals with
fewer calories during the day so you can enjoy the party without exceeding
your energy intake for the whole day. For those smaller meals, include
low-fat protein as well as fruit, vegetables and whole grains (the fiber
helps keep the stomach feeling full).
- Don’t go to a party hungry. Think about the types of foods present
at holiday parties. They are not always the most healthful. If you go
to a party hungry you are more likely to overeat.
- Consume alcohol in moderation, if at all. This tip has as much to do
with common sense and safety as it does nutrition. An eight-ounce glass
of nonalcoholic eggnog contains more than 340 calories. Alcohol increases
the calorie count to nearly 450, and those calories tend to be stored
as fat.
- Control calorie intake by drinking diet soda or club soda instead of
juice and regular sodas. A 12-ounce can of soda contains about 150 calories;
diet versions have between two and four, and club soda is calorie-free.
- Socialize away from the food table. This will reduce the temptation
to overeat and allow you to focus on conversations with friends, family
and coworkers.
- If the party is an after-work cocktail party, curb your appetite by
snacking on fruit, pretzels, crackers or low-fat yogurt before you go.
Again, this helps reduce the temptation to overeat.
- For office parties, get involved in the planning process so that you
can ensure some healthy foods will be available. Offer to bring a fresh
fruit or vegetable tray, pretzels or baked tortilla chips and salsa.
If you offer to bring a dish that you have modified to lower the fat
and calorie content, be sure you try out the dish at home in advance
to make sure the taste is still acceptable.
- For dinner parties, skip dessert or choose fresh fruit if it is available.
If you are served a dessert, eat half.
- Remember, smaller is better. When the food at a party is being served
buffet-style, make one trip through the buffet line and take only small
amounts of the foods that you really like. If possible, use a salad plate
so that your plate looks full. This will keep your eyes from feeling
cheated.
- Listen to your stomach. Stop eating when you are no longer hungry.
Eating until one is as stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey usually results
in consuming more calories than we need.
This information is provided as a service by the Texas Cooperative Extension.
If you have questions or would like more information, talk to your physician.
H.E.A.D.s Up is a monthly column that features articles on a wide array
of Health, Exercise And Diet issues. Information for these articles is
provided by health and wellness professionals from throughout the A&M
System. If you have questions or story ideas for this column, email Ruth McMullan.
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