Guest post by Eli Oki Choo, MS, RD, CDN, Clinical Nutrition Coordinator at The Mount Sinai Hospital. Mrs. Choo has worked at Mount Sinai for the past 8 years, focusing on heart failure, left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), and heart transplant patients.
The holiday season is in full swing. It’s a time to enjoy family, friends, and food. Holiday festivities also present plenty of opportunities to overindulge. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine notes that the average person will gain about a pound from mid-November to the beginning of January. Although one pound seems relatively harmless, the study also found that the extra weight did not come off the following year. Over time, this additional weight adds up. Here are some healthy tips to help navigate the holiday season.
Begin with breakfast. Start your day with a healthy morning meal that includes protein—such as egg whites, cottage cheese, or fat-free Greek yogurt—paired with fruit for fiber. This will help prevent overeating at holiday gatherings later in the day. Also, avoid attending events on an empty stomach. This can lead to poor eating choices. Instead, plan to grab a high-fiber snack before the festivity. For example, grab a small piece of fruit or a handful of nuts.
Be mindful when snacking. Nibbling and grazing between meals can get excessive during the holiday season. The constant availability of seasonal goodies and boxes of chocolates provides ample temptation. If you’re not watching your intake, these treats can add up to hundreds—or even thousands—of extra calories. Before you snack, judge your hunger on a scale from 1-10. Very often, you might find that extra munching is from boredom and not hunger. Keeping a structured eating schedule during the holidays can help prevent you from going overboard.
Check out all food options before filling your plate. Survey the food spread and decide on your top two or three favorite options. Fill half
of your plate with vegetable-based options like salad, crudités, or roasted green beans. Try to limit higher-calorie foods like mashed potatoes, casseroles, stuffing, and gravy to one tablespoon.
Bring your own healthy dish. This way, you’ll have more control over the ingredients. Prepare your favorite dishes using low-calorie, low-fat options. For example, you can supplement oil with skim milk, light cream cheese, applesauce, or non-fat yogurt while baking.
Watch the holiday beverages. Seasonal drinks like hot chocolate, eggnog, and apple cider are loaded with added sugar. When indulging in these high-caloric beverages, try the following: forgo whipped cream, choose hot chocolate and eggnog made with low-fat or skim milk, and opt for low-sugar or sugar-free apple cider. Also, be careful of calorie-laden alcoholic beverages like buttered rum and mulled wine. Instead, stick with one glass of wine or champagne, one or two glasses of wine spritzers, or a maximum of two bottles of light beer.
Treat yourself right. Instead of having large portions of holiday treats, try limiting yourself to just a bite or two of your favorite sweets. Cut the calories and fat in half by splitting dessert with a friend.
Make time for physical activity. Maintain a healthy weight and burn off extra calories from holiday indulgences by aiming for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week.
Enjoy the holiday season. You can still enjoy your favorite holiday foods while being mindful of what you’re eating. Remember, the holidays are not only about food, but also a time to enjoy with your family and friends!