Put Temptation on Ice
Holiday food gifts leave you in a quandary: You'll gain weight if you enjoy them all, but you're riddled with guilt if you toss them. Your freezer can come to the rescue! Many holiday foods like homemade candy or cookies freeze well. Simply thaw them in the fridge overnight when you want to enjoy them over the coming months. Take the time to wrap them in aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag as single servings -- instant portion control!
Make Parties Less Perilous
As soon as you arrive at a holiday party, scope out the spread so you are aware of everything that's on offer. Not only will you be aware of the healthiest fare available, you'll also notice if your favorite foods are available -- that way, you won't waste your calories on everyday foods like chips, but save them so you can savor those special treats.If your host or hostess is okay with guests pot-lucking, take advantage: Bring your own healthy appetizer or meal to the house -- enough to share, of course. You may introduce friends and family to a new, healthy food or recipe that will become a diet-friendly staple in their diet, too.
Take the Focus Off Food
At family gatherings, spend time doing non-food-related activities that involve everyone: Get the nieces and nephews together for a craft session, pore over old photo albums with the grandparents, or arrange a game of touch football for all the siblings. Brainstorm some ideas before the get-together and schedule ways to keep things moving -- extra activity will help you keep those extra pounds at bay and create precious memories.
Swap, Swap and Swap Some More
Since there is simply so much food -- and such a variety of it -- on offer during the holidays, making smart food swaps to save calories can pay off big time. Consider some of these switches:
- Swap cream-based dips with salsa
- Swap wine with wine spritzers
- Swap regular egg nog with light egg nog
- Swap chocolate chip cookies with ginger thins
- Swap dark meat poultry with light meat
- Swap fruit cake with angel food cake
- Swap chocolate candy with a candy cane
Practice Stealth Portion Control
No one wants to be caught measuring portions or adding up calories at a holiday party or family get-together. So, the holiday season is an excellent time to practice plate portioning. Fill one quarter of the plate with a lean protein. Another quarter of the plate should be filled with a grain, preferably whole grain. The remaining half of the plate should be used for fruits and vegetables.Get your new year's weight loss efforts off to a great start by signing up for our free Weight Loss 101 e-Course.
