Healthy holiday eating

You love the holidays but hate that you can’t zip your skirt or pants once they’re over. Weeks of nonstop parties can do that to a person. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Getting through the season without piling on pounds is all about knowing where the pitfalls are — and avoiding them.

• Potential pitfall. You can’t cook without eating what you are cooking.

• Avoid it. Chew on a piece of sugarless gum. Not only will it keep your mouth busy and prevent you from eating half of the ingredients, it might even quash your cravings for sweet. In a recent study, people who had gum after lunch ate fewer calories from snacks that afternoon compared with those who had the exact same lunch but no gum.

• Potential pitfall. You see a buffet and want a little taste of everything.

• Avoid it. Be picky. “Only choose the foods that you don’t get to eat all year long,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. Limit yourself to the basics — fruits and veggies, lean meat — along with a small serving of some of your favorites. Treating yourself to a small serving of a cheese fondue and bypassing the stuff you can get year-round will help you feel more than satisfied without gaining hundreds of extra calories.

• Potential pitfall. Your mother (or mother-in-law) won’t let you out the door without a heaping helping of leftover.

• Avoid it. Skip the “thanks but no thanks” conversation that’s bound to hurt some feelings and instead tell her you’d really love some of the main dish. (You’re less likely to binge on this one than on the dessert.) When you get home, divide it into single-serve containers, pop it in the freezer and save it for a night when you’re not in the mood to cook.

• Potential pitfall. If you even think of not eating your family’s favorites, you’ll have a mutiny on your hand.

• Avoid it.  Don’t mess with your family’s favorites, but limit portion sizes. “If many of your treasured holiday recipes contain lots of fats, that’s fine once a year,” says David W. Grotto, RD, author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life. Just eat servings that are half the size you’d normally take, and round out your plate with generous portions of lighter items, like salad. Also, limit portions before you even get to the table, suggests Michelle May, MD, author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle. Curtailing your cooking also cuts down the leftovers and the risk of binging on them (if you’re not careful, those “just for the holidays” favorites can linger like an unwanted houseguest). A good rule: Any leftover that can’t get frozen right away should stay in the fridge for two days only, max. After that, give the food away.

• Potential pitfall. Goodies are all over: at the office, at school, and at home.

• Avoid it. If you eat it, write it. “Now’s a good time to keep a food journal. Even if you only do it just for a few weeks, it’s a surefire way to stay accountable for what you’re eating,” says Robin Plotkin, RD, a culinary and nutrition consultant. Get one of those little notebooks so you can carry it with you wherever you go, or log foods in your PDA. If you’re not the journaling type, plaster a Post-it note to your desk or refrigerator every time you have a cookie-brownie or doughnut — and don’t peel them off until the end of each week. A visual reminder that you’re eating five, six or more little treats a day should give you the jolt you need to put the brakes on.

Don’t Make These Mistakes

• Eating next to nothing all day to “save room” for later. “When you tell yourself you’ve been “good” all day, you’ve given yourself the green light to eat everything you see once the celebration begins,” says Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, CFT, co-author of The Secret to Skinny. “The real trick to not overdoing it is eating well throughout the day, so you’re not ravenous at party time.” A late day protein and fiber-filled snack (think cereal with low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt with fruit) can also keep a lid on your appetite.

• Drinking alcohol first and eating later. If you imbibe before you eat, the calories in your cocktail are only half of your problem. A 2007 Scottish study found that people who sipped an aperitif before lunch ate more at mealtime than those who sipped the same amount while they were eating. To slow the rate that your body absorbs alcohol (which will help you make better decisions about what and how much you put in your mouth), have a pre-party nibble or wait until you’ve had a bite at the event before reaching for a glass.

• Assuming holiday weight gain is inevitable. Eating to put on some pounds more or less guarantees it, because you won’t bother watching what you eat. While this isn’t the best time to lose weight, it’s smart to focus on maintaining it. “If you can come out of the holidays staying at the same weight, that’s a great feat,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, RD. A related mistake: Planning to start a serious diet right after New Year’s. We all know that doesn’t work, because you’re giving yourself permission to eat, eat, eat between now and January 1. “The best solution is to develop a realistic way of eating, no matter the time of year,” says Dr. May.

Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

Admittedly, celebrating the holidays without gaining weight is tough. But here are six strategies that can help you stay slim all season long:

1) Before any event, have a snack with fiber, protein, and a little fat to keep your hunger under control. Raw vegetables, a few whole-grain crackers, and a small piece of reduced-fat cheese will do the trick.

2) While you’re in route, visualize how you will behave. For example, picture a tray of fattening hors d’oeuvres and see yourself passing them by. Concentrate on how good you will feel afterward if you don’t pig out.

3) The first thing you should do is grab a sparkling water with lime. Wine is great, but the average 6-ounce glass has 150 calories. Alcohol also lowers inhibitions, so boozing almost guarantees too much munching.

4) Keep up with your gym routine. With so much going on, it’s easy to make excuses, but between the stress and the overeating, it’s essential to exercise. The endorphins you release working out are the best appetite suppressant there is.

5) Work on being more conscious of your eating. It’s worth the effort. Try to savor every bite and enjoy the conversation, giving your brain the chance to get the message that your stomach is full.

6) Skip the desserts altogether since they usually contain more calories than they’re worth. Instead, prepare a low-fat treat like light ice cream and fruit in your house. That way, you have something to look forward to when you get home.

Enjoy the holidays. But don’t forget these smart tips to enjoy your favorites without gaining an inch. Yes, it’s possible to make holiday eating — healthier!