Feeling like a Stuffed Turkey?

Feeling like a Stuffed Turkey?
Use Common Sense Holiday Eating Strategies
by: Kathy G. Wise RD LD LDN

The holidays are here--let the eating begin! At this time of the year, perhaps more than any other time, we are faced with a major dilemma.

How can we enjoy the special foods of the season without feeling out of shape and guilty about those delicious treats? The answers are moderation, common sense and innovation.

The American Heart Association suggests that high fat, high cholesterol and even high sodium foods can be eaten in moderation without injurious effects. This idea might suggest that by eating wisely the rest of the winter, we could just chalk the two holidays up to our share of moderation. Unfortunately, holiday eating does not begin and end on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Places of work celebrate for as many as four weeks during the holiday season. Neighbors and friends continuously bring goodies and everybody is having a party. In fact, nutritionally speaking, Americans tend to eat in holiday fashion all year long, and why?

Moderation
Once upon a time, the quantity and variety of foods presented to guests determined the success of a special event. Much thought and planning went into selecting the perfect fare and little attention was given to nutrition or health when planning these feasts.

Today, things have changed. We know the food we eat affects our health. We are discovering food can look and taste great without excess fat, calories or sabotaging our health goals.

The first step in surviving the holidays is eating in moderation, a feat that would be more easily accomplished if the food were put away after first helpings. Since this does not happen, becoming occupied in conversation or other activities can prevent the hand to mouth motion. If you are planning a party, center the event around some activity rather than centering on the food. Plan the meal in courses and choose very light foods. If you know another course is coming, you are less likely to gorge yourself. Provide small plates for hors d'oeuvres and snack foods so that people will not be tempted to overload.

Common Sense
Nothing is worse during the holidays than feeling like your are the "stuffed turkey." To avoid overeating, start your holiday meal with nutrient dense raw vegetables, whole grain breads, salads and fruit. These foods are filling, high in fiber and leave less room for the richer choices.

Eating slowly is a good idea since it usually takes 20 minutes for food to register in the stomach and send signals to the brain that it is getting full. If you know certain items will be left over the next day or two, have a smaller portion so you can have some at a later time. Avoid drinking excess alcohol or sugary drinks. They are a concentrated source of calories at 70 to 170 calories per serving.

Innovations
There are so many great products available today to help make your recipes healthy. You can take your own favorite recipes and improve their nutritional quality by using the following techniques:

1. Reduce the amount of a less desirable ingredient. Salt can be eliminated from many recipes and reduced by ¼ in baked products. A 1/3 reduction in sugar will go unnoticed and even the fat content can be decreased in many recipes. You will have to experiment a little.
2. Substitute a more desirable ingredient for a less desirable one. Skim milk replaces whole milk, low fat yogurt, and cottage cheese or reduced fat sour cream replaces sour cream. Use your imagination. There are a lot of reduced fat and fat free alternatives available.
3. Change the cooking technique. Bake, broil or microwave rather than fry or braise. Make broth in advance so that it can be chilled to easily remove fat. Use non-stick pans and non-stick spray coatings rather than traditional frying.

Share the Wealth
If you want to share your holiday treats with co-workers, plan ahead. Extra goodies everyday during the holidays tends to accumulate rapidly on the waistline. You can organize a schedule and ask people to sign up for a date when they plan to bring in food. Then ask that the amount be kept small to avoid overindulgence. Sharing a nutritious holiday dish adds to your Yule tidings by suggesting that you care about the health of your friends and co-workers. What better gift can you give them?

This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem. Please consult your health care provider if you suspect you are ill, or have questions about your condition.