Since food is an important part of many holidays, celebrations, family
and cultural traditions (and one of my favorite things to talk about) it’s
only natural that special occasions often center around food. Consider
these 10 tips for fully enjoying the holiday season without gaining weight!

1. Focus on weight maintenance vs. weight loss during the holidays.
If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not
necessarily the time to do it. Maintenance of your present weight is a big
enough challenge in itself during the holiday season.

2. Plan on NOT dieting after the New Year. Anticipation of food restriction
sets you up for binge-type eating over the holidays. It has been found that
restrictive diets don’t work in the long run. Start thinking now about your
healthy-lifestyle plan.

3. Be physically active every day. Physical activity, especially resistance
training, interval training, or aerobic  activities (like brisk walking, jogging,
bicycling, roller blading, and swimming)  can help relieve stress, regulate
appetite, and burn up extra calories from holiday eating.

4. Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties. It is not a good idea to arrive
at a party famished. Try eating some almonds or an apple before you go.
It will really help prevent major over-indulgences.

5. Make a plan. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods
will be available, what foods are really special to you (that you really want to eat)
vs. those that you could probably do without, what are your personal triggers to
overeat and how can you minimize them?

6. Take steps to avoid recreational eating. At parties and holiday dinners, we tend
to eat (or keep eating) beyond our body’s physical hunger simply because food is
there and eating is a “social thing.” To avoid recreational eating, consciously make
one plate of the foods you really want.

7. Reduce the fat in holiday recipes. There are plenty of low fat and low calorie
substitutes that are amazingly tasty. Think about applesauce instead of eggs and
oil or splenda vs. sugar. Your options are endless.

8. Choose your beverages wisely. Alcohol is high in calories. Liquors, sweet wines
and sweet mixed drinks contain 150-450 calories per glass. By contrast, water and
diet sodas are calorie-free. If you choose to drink, select light wines and beers, and
use non-alcoholic mixers such as water and diet soda. Limit your intake to 1 or 2
alcoholic drinks per occasion. And, watch out for calories in soda, fruit punch, and
egg nog as well. Try adding a lemon lime diet drink with wine to make a wine spritzer
and always have a bottle of water handy!!

9. Enjoy good friends and family. Although food can be a big part of the season, it doesn’t

have to be the focus. Holidays are a time to reunite with good friends and family, to share laughter

and cheer, to celebrate and to give thanks.

10. Maintain perspective: Overeating one day won’t make or break your eating plan.
And it certainly won’t make you gain weight! It takes days and days of overeating
to gain weight. Make sure to get back on the wagon the very next MEAL. You
don’t have to spiral into a whirlwind of guilt. You are human.

Now go out and enjoy the holiday season!