7 Tips for healthy holiday noshing
Print Edition
There are so many people writing “Eat this!” and “Don’t eat that!” when it comes to the holiday season, it feels like a bit of a buzzkill. I would never encourage you to deny these most simple and beautiful of life’s pleasures. Forget denial! Instead, follow these science-based strategies to help your body naturally consume less.
Selecting smaller plates and cups leads to less food and drink consumed. Choosing smaller plates is especially important in a buffet situation, which is a recipe for overindulgence given all of the tasty choices for the taking.
Whether alcoholic or not, our bodies aren’t good at recognizing calories in liquid form, so we tend to just pack them on as extra. Why not swap water for wine now and again? Choosing water at least once during your evening out means you’re consuming that many fewer calories.
If you’re taking smaller portions then you’ll definitely want to make sure you are enjoying every single bite. The advice to chew slowly and consume mindfully is never more important than during the holidays. In so doing, you’ll likely consume less food and have fewer stomachaches from over consumption.
Holiday treats tend to be rich in calories. We are lucky that the increased awareness of consuming plant-based foods for optimal health and weight means that restaurants and businesses are increasingly featuring veggies and fruits on their menus. I encourage you to do the same when you’re planning a meal at your own home. There are so many festive ways to prepare vegetables for your holiday table. Think: spinach salad with ruby-red pomegranates and crunchy toasted almonds; roasted butternut squash with crimson cranberries and caramelized onions. And why not feature fruit for dessert, like red wine-poached pears with blackberries?
“Hara hachi bu” is an adage of the Okinawans, one of the longest-living populations in the world. It roughly means “eat to when you’re 80% full.” We all know what to expect when attending holiday parties: food, and lots of it. You’ll help balance your calorie intake if you can eat less and make healthier choices when at home.
The frustrating fact remains that we should actually increase our activity to compensate for the extra calories we’re consuming. Hate running? Perhaps ice-skating or a family football game? Jump rope? Hula hoop? Figure out what works for you — and stick to it. And if stuff gets in the way, don’t beat yourself up; just get back out there when you can.
Weight gain occurs incrementally, and detecting small changes are best observed numerically. Monitoring your weight by stepping on a scale is the best way to tell whether your holiday feasting has gone awry. You might also consider measuring your overall body composition by calculating your body mass index.
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