Head Off Holiday Weight Gain
Media stories about holiday weight gain perpetuating the idea that Americans put on an average of 5 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day are one of my major pet peeves. Why do they bother me so much? Because despite the fact that there is no scientific research to back up the statistic, it gets repeated year after year.
Here’s the reality: Studies in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Nutrition Journal suggest we gain, on average, about one pound during the holidays; in the Nutrition Journal study, overweight people gained a little more than two pounds.
That is welcome news. But just in case you were ready to relax your healthy eating and exercise routines while celebrating the season, consider this: you may not lose the weight you gain. Adding a pound or two to your frame every year means that in a decade, you could be 10 to 20 pounds heavier.
You shouldn’t overdo it on holiday favorites, yet there’s no need to deprive yourself either. Use these tips to hold off holiday weight gain.
• Eat regular meals. You may be tempted to skip a meal, or skimp, in anticipation of gorging at a holiday party. Don’t do it. Eat three smaller meals with plenty of fiber and protein to keep you fuller for longer; and don’t miss out on breakfast. When you’re pressed for time, prepare a packet of Mom’s Best Naturals Quick Oats or Instant Oats with milk and stir in chopped fresh or dried fruit, or fill a plastic container with Mom’s Best Wheatfuls or Sweetened Wheatfuls and add a carton of yogurt and some fruit to make a meal. Nosh on healthy snacks like reduced-fat cheese and raw vegetables t to blunt your hunger before holiday parties.
• Pile your plate with fiber and protein. Butter-laden mashed potatoes, filet mignon, and full-fat eggnog are calling your name and you’re ready to chuck your healthy holiday eating resolutions. Your strategy: pile your plate with lower-fat foods to limit high-calorie splurges. Whole grains, such as wild rice, quinoa, and whole wheat rolls; shrimp, lobster, and salmon; plain meat and poultry; green salads without the dressing, and fresh fruit have relatively fewer calories and more fiber.
• Count your calories, and mind your portions. Knowing the calorie counts of favorite holiday foods can stop you in your tracks from overdoing it. Take tiny portions of calorie-laden foods – the first few bites are the most enjoyable, anyway. Cut alcohol calories by sipping lower-calorie cocktails, such as wine spritzers, and starting with a calorie-free nonalcoholic beverage, such as club soda and lime, and alternate with your favorite alcoholic libation.
Food and calorie listing:
Full-fat eggnog with alcohol, 1 cup: 360 calories
Gravy, 1/4 cup: 47 calories
Pecan pie, 1/8 of 9-inch pie: 503 calories
Pumpkin pie, 1/8 of 9-inch pie: 204 calories
Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce: 114 calories
Snack chips, 1 ounce: 138 calories
Sugar cookies, 2 small: 132 calories
Hershey Kisses, 9 pieces: 230 calories
Potato latke, 1 medium: 257 calories
Stuffing, 1/2 cup: 179 calories
Mixed nuts, 1 ounce: 175 calories
Mashed potatoes (made with
milk and butter), 1 cup: 238 calories
Beverage and calorie listing:
White Russian, 8 ounces: 715 calories
Gin and Tonic, 8 ounces: 192 calories
Rum, 1.5 ounces: 116 calories
Wine, 4 ounces: 98 calories
Wine spritzer, 4 ounces (made with 2 ounces wine and diet ginger ale): 49 calories
Happy Holidays!
Liz Ward