Healthy Holiday Eating Tips

The holidays are a special time of year filled with festivities, celebrations, and opportunities to see family and friends. As special as holidays are, they can wreak havoc on healthy eating. So how can you fully enjoy the parties and holiday meals without sabotaging your efforts to stay on track? Here are some ideas to help you savor the holiday season sensibly.

• Be real! Don't try to lose weight during the holidays. Your goal should be to maintain your weight during this time.
  
  
• Remember, the last three letters of "holiday" spell "day." Don't turn holidays into holi-weeks or holi-months. If you eat more indulgently only a few days over the holiday season, no harm done.
  
  
• There is no need for deprivation. If there is a favorite food you only have once a year (like Aunt Julia's famous pecan pie), enjoy it, but in moderation.
  
  
• Plan ahead. Smaller, lower-calorie meals a day before, or a couple of days after can balance out a party where you feast on rich, high-fat, high-calorie foods.
  
  
• Do not skip meals or fast, since this may lead to bingeing or overeating.
  
  
• Before the event, have a snack or "mini-meal" containing protein (e.g., cottage cheese or lean meat). Chances are, you will eat less at the celebration.
  
  
• Manage your portions. Serve yourself smaller portions of high-calorie dishes. Avoid seconds except for salad, vegetables, and turkey. Limit appetizers to one or two pieces and skip the chips and nuts if you can't stop at a handful.
  
  
• Be mindful of high-calorie drinks – limit yourself to two at the event. Alcohol stimulates your appetite by suppressing your blood sugar levels. Alternate an alcoholic beverage with a non-caloric beverage such as sparkling water, diet soda, or iced tea. As an alternative, try wine spritzers.
  
  
• Schedule time for physical activity. Exercise is a great outlet for tension and boosts your energy level, so it is even more important during this busy time.
  
  
• Keep a food log. Writing down everything you eat and drink helps you stay on track.
  

– Cynthanne Duryea, R.D., L.D., and Lara Hassan, M.S., R.D., L.D., C.D.E., Cooper Clinic nutrition department. To learn more about Cooper Clinic's nutrition services, visit the nutrition department web page or call 972-560-2655.