Enjoy Holiday Foods But Remember To Use Moderation

Every holiday season, the average American gains 2 to 5 pounds, and it’s not hard to understand why. Just look at the buffet table at the office Christmas party or the goodies laid out at a New Year’s Eve gathering.

Americans’ favorite holiday foods are high in fat and calories. But the season doesn’t have to be a complete bore if you’re watching your weight.

Today, dietitians say it’s OK to partake as long as you recognize that one meal won’t sabotage your diet. And, believe it or not, some of them believe that you should actually indulge in an occasional high-calorie snack during the holidays.

This does not mean that every day is eggnog day. It means that if you truly love eggnog, you can have a cup once in a while during the holidays.

Exercise a little more and be picky about your other food choices, and that eggnog won’t kill your waistline.

It’s a reversal of the old holiday wisdom, which told dieters to eat raw vegetables and a Lean Cuisine turkey dinner while the rest of the family chowed down on the good, fattening stuff. The problem with that strategy was this: Dieters set themselves up for a serious binge session later on, says Marsha Hudnall, a registered dietitian and nutrition director for Green Mountain at Fox Run, a weight-loss program in Vermont.

People who feel deprived of the terrific food of the holidays inevitably get depressed and then binge on as much pumpkin pie or cheesecake as they can eat, Hudnall said.

“Now we recommend that people approach the holidays as a time to enjoy foods that you don’t see at other times of the year, but in a balanced, reasonable manner,” she said.

How do you do that?

Plan ahead, Hudnall said. If you know that Mom is going to serve her fabulous pecan pie, then eat the raw veggie appetizers and skip some of the high-fat casseroles at dinner so that you can enjoy that pecan pie for dessert.

“What you need to do is consider what holiday foods are really important to you, then figure out how you can work them into a balanced plan,” Hudnall said. “You don’t have to cut out everything you love, but you need to strike a balance. It may mean forgoing the high-fat, high-calorie hors d’oeuvres and preparing a low-fat gravy so that you can enjoy your favorite dessert.”

Planning ahead sounds great if you know what’s on the menu, but what about the buffet table at a party? When you approach the buffet, take a few minutes and scan the table. Before piling everything on your plate willy-nilly, decide what high-calorie foods you really want to have - and then make your other choices low-calorie, low-fat foods.

If you’re the cook, then you’re in a much better position to chop the fat and calorie content of your favorite meals. You can take recipes for traditional favorites and lower the fat content by using low-fat ingredients.

It’s pretty easy these days because there are so many ready-made substitutes in supermarkets, such as fat-free condensed milk, evaporated skim milk, low-fat cheeses and low-fat or nonfat sour cream.

Making dips for appetizers? Substitute fat-free cream cheese, fat-free cottage cheese or plain yogurt for higher fat ingredients such as sour cream and real cream cheese.

When cooking your favorite recipes, use nonstick cookware; you can reduce the amount of oil used. When sauteing, try cutting the amount of oil in half. You may not notice the difference in taste, and you’ll cut calories and fat.

And remember one of the most important ways to keep weight off during the holidays: exercise.

Going for a walk before a big meal can help curb your appetite, and it’s beneficial after a big holiday meal to burn some of those excess calories.

Finally, keep your weight goals in perspective during the holidays. It’s nearly impossible to lose weight during November and December, Hudnall said. Instead, try to maintain your current weight.

Here are some other holiday weight watching tips:

Ham or turkey: What’s the better choice? Both are fairly low in fat, say dietitians, especially if you peel the skin off the turkey. If you’re watching your sodium, skip the ham. Like the turkey’s dark meat better than the white meat? Go ahead and eat it. The difference in fat and calories is negligible.

Eat breakfast. Many people skip breakfast and “save up” for the big feast later. Big mistake. You’ll be famished and have no control when you sit down to eat.

Don’t get bored before dinner. Plan some activities or games so that you don’t sit around and pick at the appetizers or the food.

Avoid the cheese tray during snack time. If you eat two or three ounces of cheese, you’re really piling on the fat and calories.

Drink a big glass of water before you sit down to eat. That will make you feel full so you won’t ladle big portions onto your plate.