Bellevue Nutritionist, Angela Pifer, writes: Worried about the effects of the holidays on your waistline? Here are 6 tried and true quick tip strategies that I recommend in my practice that will help your waistline love the holidays as much as you do.
1. Offer to bring a healthy dish to holiday parties
If you’re concerned about the unhealthy array of foods that are bound to be served at an upcoming function, call ahead and ask the host if you can bring a healthy dish. Chances are the host will be happy to have some help with the overwhelming task of pleasing a hungry crowd!
For appetizers, you could bring a vegetable platter with low-fat dip; a colorful fruit platter with a dip made from nonfat yogurt, whole wheat pita triangles served with hummus; or baked tortilla chips with chunky salsa and/or fat-free refried bean dip.
2. Don’t “hang out” at the appetizer table when socializing at a party
It’s hard to believe how much those small handfuls of munchies add up at a party. I observed a stranger’s eating habits while socializing at a holiday party to see what kind of calories we’re capable of consuming before the holiday meal. The following appetizers were consumed in the two hours before the meal (see if you can guess how many calories this added up to):
4 rye crackers with about 1/2 ounce of soft cheese
3 bunches of grapes
3 handfuls of mixed nuts
2 glasses of wine
1 handful M&Ms with nuts
2 pieces broccoli with about 1 Tbsp cream cheese dip
Total: 1,209 calories, 60 g fat, 28 g protein, 110 g carbohydrate
This adds up, especially when you consider these totals make up more than half the total daily calories needed by the average active person. People who socialize away from the appetizer tables were less apt to subconsciously pick at the food. Instead, they will usually fill one small plate of food and then called it quits. Make a conscious effort to position yourself away from the hors d’oeuvres at a holiday function.
3. Try recipe modification
Many people worry about a cooking disaster when preparing a large meal during the holidays and therefore don’t want to experiment with new ingredients. But often times these new ingredients enhance both the nutritional value and the flavor of the dish.
For example, I prepared a batch of muffins using a traditional recipe with oil and another batch substituting applesauce for the oil (1:1 replacement ratio). Of course the recipe modification enhanced the nutritional value of the muffins, but the tasters actually rated the flavor and overall satisfaction of the modified muffin recipe higher than the traditional recipe.
Making modifications of your favorite recipes can make the dish healthier, and perhaps even tastier. To avoid a potential cooking disaster, you can always practice the modified recipe before the big day.
4. Beware of liquid calories, especially alcohol
Alcohol actually contains almost as many calories per gram as fat (seven calories vs. nine calories per gram, respectively). Alcohol also tends to lower our inhibitions, which means you’ll be less careful about what and how much we indulge at the party. So instead of reaching for the bubbly, rotate a non-caloric drink like diet soda, water or spritzer into the mix. That way you’ll be able to allocate more of your calorie budget on the delicious holiday foods you enjoy. The following table offers a detailed list of drinks and calories. But, beware, most ‘servings’ double when served at parties.
Calories Found in Alcoholic Beverages
Beverage Serving size Calories
Beer 12 ounces 160
Light Beer 12 ounces 100
Non-alcoholic Beer 12 ounces 32
Red Wine 4 ounces 85
White Wine 4 ounces 80
Wine Cooler 8 ounces 120
Daiquiri 4 ounces 225
Margarita 4 ounces 270
Gin and tonic 4 ounces 150
Pina colada 4 ounces 262
5. Enjoy the party not the food
Holiday gatherings are social functions that are notorious for uncontrolled nibbling. The best way to curb your intake this time of year is to have a light but healthy dinner before you go to the party. If you do like to nibble while being social, stick with vegetable and fruit trays or a deli platter. Another option to eliminate nibbling (and one of my favorite tricks) is to have a tin of powerful breath mints handy. Pop one of those little guys in your mouth and your taste buds will be overwhelmed …nothing will taste very good after that. Another bonus to this method is fresh breath so everyone will enjoy talking to you!
6. Get rid of leftovers
If you host a holiday gathering and serve traditional but less than healthy food … get rid of the leftovers. Package it up and insist your guests take it home. If your guest list includes health conscious athletes like yourself and they decline your generous offer then just throw it away. However, if you cannot bear the thought of chucking the cheesecake then at least wrap it up and place it in the freezer to enjoy at a later date.
Gaining control over your food choices during this time of the year can set the stage for positive eating habits. What a great way to enter a new year … healthy, rejuvenated and without any inches added to your waistline!
Angela Pifer, MSN, CN Bellevue Nutritionist
Bellevue Weight Loss Programs that Get Results! I work Nationally through Skype
Categories: Navigating the Obstacles of Life
