Survive Feasting by Eating Healthfully

Food is an important part of holiday celebrations at this time of year. There are special foods and social pressure from family and friends in the mode of "try some of this" or "I made this especially for you." Events often revolve around food and eating and temptation are everywhere. The trick is to be prepared and to avoid the anxiety that comes from trying to diet while simultaneously trying to celebrate. A common mistake is to vow to eat nothing at an event, a setup because you either feel guilty when you eat or deprived when you don't. However, you can enjoy yourself and still keep your dieting virtue. Consider these tips for fully enjoying the holiday season without gaining weight:

Focus on weight maintenance as opposed to weight loss during the holidays. This is not the time to lose weight. Maintenance of your present weight is a big enough challenge during the holiday season. Don't set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals for yourself.

Plan ahead. Think about where you will be, what foods will be available and what foods are really special to you, as opposed to those you could probably do without. Ask yourself how you can fit them into your day's calorie goal. Make a plan of action. It's much easier to deal with a difficult social eating situation if you've already planned for it.

Be physically active every day. Often, busy holiday schedules (or lack of structured schedules) bump people off their exercise routines. Exercise, especially aerobic (brisk walking, jogging, running, biking or swimming) can help relieve stress, and burn up extra calories. Try to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise five times a week.  If you don't have 30 minutes, remember even something is better than nothing.

Eat a light snack before going to holiday parties. Don't skip breakfast and lunch in order to save your entire food intake for an event, as it's never a good idea to arrive ravenous to a function where there's food. Not only are your more likely to overeat, but you will be less likely to resist tempting high fat and high calorie foods. Have a salad, a piece of fruit, or a container of light yogurt before you go.

Editor’s note: Barbara Schmidt MS, RD is a nutritionist in New Canaan, and is the nutrition lifestyle specialist at Norwalk Hospital. She’ll have more “festive eating survival tips” -- and just in time -- next week.

Barbara consults with patients privately and in-group settings in her eight-week weight loss program, “Transformations.” To learn more about “Transformations,” call (203) 852-2178. New sessions begin Jan. 11, 2011.

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