Holiday Stress: Eating Healthy

Staying on track with your weight loss program is always a challenge during the holidays!

No one likes to spend time re-losing pounds that they had already lost earlier, but with just a few simple techniques and continued focus on your long term weight management goals, you can make it through the holidays or other special occasions successfully and stay on track with your First Step to Success!

1. Carbs and Calories are your enemy! At holiday parties or family dinners stay away from bread/mashed potatoes/stuffing/desserts and fatty or high carb foods.
2. Remove the bread/crackers from finger foods and just eat the contents.
3. Eat more of protein foods instead of desserts, but if you must deal with desserts, just take a couple of nibbles.  Avoid the crust on pies and the icing on cakes.
4. At dinners, take a small portion of those dishes you are going to sample and focus on protein foods. Treat big holiday meals like a tasting menu, not a feast!
5. Select a small plate for your food. You’ll tend to eat less that way.
6. It’s best not to snack, but, if you must, consume a non-caloric snack.
7. Eat slowly and chew longer! You’ll eat less.
8. Limit your drinking because alcohol can increase hunger and lower your willpower. Alcohol is low in carbs but high in calories. It’s best to skip it altogether, but if you choose to imbibe, follow these basic rules:
   1. Take sips rather than swallows.
   2. Avoid sugared mixers with cocktails. They add lots of calories.
   3. Set a limit at the start of the evening/event and stick to it!
   4. Take one glass of wine/cocktail/beer and then switch to a nonalcoholic drink, preferably a zero calorie, zero carb drink, such as diet cola, sparkling water or club soda.
   5. If you are going to have more than one alcoholic beverage, drink two glasses of water after each alcoholic drink.

Don’t forget to exercise daily!  A brisk walk around the neighborhood can work wonders in keeping pounds off.

Learn more about our Weight Management Clinic.