Tips for Healthy Holiday Eating

With the Holiday Season right around the corner, those of you trying to ‘Bulk’ this winter, are as happy as can be. But what about those of us currently focused on losing weight. How can we be expected to over come the temptation? The secret to overcoming temptation is moderation. Here are some tips to help you and your goals survive the holiday season.

GENERAL TIPS TO PREVENT WEIGHT GAIN

• Do not expect to lose weight during the holidays, instead focus on not gaining weight.
• Don’t completely restrict yourself; Allow yourself to enjoy small portions of traditional holiday foods.
• Save your calories for the foods you truly love.

SIMPLE WAYS TO CUT CALORIES

• Survey the spread before making your plate. It always disappointing to get to the heart of a buffet line and see your favorite dish with no room left on your plate (Why did I get the buttered roll and bread?). Solve this problem before you get in line with some strategic reserving of plate space.
• Don’t skip breakfast and lunch to save space for a big meal. This will cause overeating, and eating your calorie allotment in one sitting, is not the same as eating it over the course of 12 hours.
• Eat a snack containing fiber and protein before leaving home to eat less.
• Limit beverage intake so you can eat your calories instead of drink them.
• When you are a guest, bring a low calorie dish to share.
• Try not to hang out near the food.
• Watch portion sizes.
• Don’t feel obligated to clean your plate if you get full sooner than expected.
• Eat until satisfied not stuffed, you can always eat again in a couple hours!
• Eat slowly and focus on flavor.
• Stop eating frequently to socialize.
• Learn to politely say no.

QUICK WAYS TO BURN CALORIES

• Walking, running, stair climbing can be done anywhere and takes 30 minutes.
• Resistance bands fit into suitcases and can work out the entire body.
• Tabata, cross fit, yoga, and many other exercises can be done in a home with limited space in less than 30 minutes.
• Most towns have a thanksgiving 5k walk/run (“Turkey Trot”) – Start a new tradition!
• Do an outdoor activity (weather permitting) before the big feast.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

• Reduce fat by replacing oil with applesauce in baking.
• Can also use a banana as a substitute for oil or butter.
• Reduce sugar and fat in recipes by adding protein sources. Whey protein powder can be added to many recipes to balance the macronutrients.
• Greek Yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream, and can be used with spice mixes (french onion, ranch) to a make high protein, low fat, low carbohydrate dips! This greatly reduces the calories that are often eaten without even realizing it.
• Using spray butter to flavor your mashed potatoes is a great way to reduce calories and save flavor!
• Use an egg white and 1 Tbsp. of powdered flax seed instead of a whole egg.
• Look for light or low-fat versions of common ingredients.
• Use ground oatmeal, almond flour, coconut flour instead of white flour to reduce calories and add a unique taste to the dish.
• Almond milk can be used to replace milk in recipes.
• Use nuts and dried fruit in baking mixes to add flavor and texture instead of candied bits and frosting.
• Using 1 scoop of Daily Whey with 1 Tbsp of Almond Milk make a low calorie, high protein Almond Vanilla frosting!
• Black Bean brownies sound odd to many, but are very hard to distinguish from normal brownies. (Yes family and friends you have unknowingly eaten Allison’s Black Bean Brownies and gone back for seconds!)
• Oats can be used for breadcrumbs. This isn’t guaranteed to provide a reduction in calories, but usually has more fiber than the bread it replaces.

SEASONAL FUNCTIONAL FOODS

• Winter squash and pumpkins can be used in both sweet and savory recipes.
  • Good sources of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals.
  • Contains Beta-carotene, vitamin C, Riboflavin, Iron.
  • Functional Ingredients in pies, cookies, custards, soups, side dish.
  • Pumpkin Seeds can be toasted for high-fiber snack.
  • Contains phytosterols, folate, tocopherols, carotenoids, phosphorus, selenium, zinc.
• Bright orange and yellow squash (ex. Butternut)
  • Commonly sliced, stewed, boiled, and baked.
  • Contains Carotenes, lutein, calcium, magnesium.
  • Acorn and Hubbard squash are good sources of potassium and fiber.
• Apples
  • Crab, Bramley, Jonathan best for pies, cakes, crisps, and chutneys.
  • Golden or Red Delicious best for eating.
  • Contain Phytosterols, quercetin, vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein.
  • Source of Pectin: Soluble fiber which slows digestion and helps reduce cholesterol.