HEALTHY CHOICES AT THE HOLIDAY TABLE
Get Helpful Tips On Eating Healthier This Holiday Season!
 | | Dieting over the holiday season can be a recipe for disaster, so don’t pressure yourself into losing weight during the season of celebration. If you want to avoid weight gain and stay healthy this holiday season, all you need to do is plan ahead a little and be mindful of portion sizes. | |
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES DURING HOLIDAY DINNER
Here are some tips to keep your diet on track without missing out on the festivities this holiday season:
Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #1: Load up on fruits and veggies first.
Almost all holiday spreads include fresh veggie sticks (skip the dip) and fruit plates. Fill up on these more often than not so you’re not overeating on the more decadent treats. Think of the holiday table as a sampling session rather than a full meal so you’re not loading up on all the wrong foods.
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Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #2: Chew your food.
It’s easy to overdo it when you’re overwhelmed with options at the holiday table. Turkey, stuffing, sides and snack foods can put your calorie load over budget for the day, so take the time to savor every bite on your plate by chewing thoroughly.
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Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #3: Skip the whipped cream.
If you can exercise some self-control with the trimmings on your slice of pumpkin pie or chocolate cake this season, you could be saving yourself a gym workout or two. Real whipped cream contains about a gram of fat per tablespoon. The average dollop on dessert can be about three to four tablespoons, so skipping this step can save you a few unnecessary grams of fat.
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Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #4: Steer clear of the drinks table.
Holiday drinks such as egg nog, fruit punch and alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories and sugar. They might get you in the holiday spirit, but you will probably be overdoing your calorie count for the day with a mug or two of these festive drinks. Stick with water and juice whenever possible.
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Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #5: Eat a small meal before the party.
Don’t starve yourself the entire day because you have a holiday dinner planned. Eat small meals throughout the day, and eat a light meal before you head out so you don’t have the urge to overeat. Fill up on some healthy proteins and low-carb treats the rest of the day to balance out your diet.
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Eating Healthier for the Holidays Tip #6: Create a sampler plate of your favorites.
Don’t miss out on the holiday fun by depriving yourself of certain foods. Just eat smaller-than-average portions so you can get the taste of all your favorite foods without falling into calorie overload mode.
If you know there aren’t going to be any healthy foods at the holiday event, consider brining your own dish to share. This will give you a standby food to chow down on when your options are limited, and you get to use all of the healthy ingredients you want. Avoid sabotaging your diet with all of these holiday eating strategies so you can look forward to a new year without the extra pounds!
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Sabah Karimi writes on health, fitness and lifestyle for DivaVillage.
