But now, the holiday eating season has officially begun!
You’re probably asking yourself, “What is this crazy woman
talking about? It’s only October!”
Easily explainable!
Here in the “Great White North” otherwise known as Canada,
Thanksgiving is celebrated in October, this coming Monday as a matter of
fact. As if that were not enough, the
small city I call home hosts Canada’s largest Oktoberfest celebration,
coincidentally, also starting on the Thanksgiving Day weekend. Yup … we go from turkey and all the fixings
non-stop into 10 days of Gemuetlichkeit, beer served by the pitcher, candied
peanuts, wiener schnitzel and, sausage and sauerkraut.
Let’s not forget about Halloween at the end of the
month. That lovely time of year when we
shell out candy to all the ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties
ringing the doorbell, their voices chiming “trick or treat”.
For me, the real trick is not eating all the
treats before it’s time to give them out. I’ve learned over the last few years to NOT buy any Halloween candy
until the day before to resist temptation.
No matter what you tell yourself about those little bite-sized candy
bars … let me tell you from personal experience … they DO contain calories!
Then of course, hanging on to my willpower by the tips of my
fingernails, we gleefully glide into November.
In our family that means two consecutive weeks of celebrating
birthdays.
As if that were not enough the Christmas celebrations
start. I know, I know … you are
scratching your head again wondering what I am talking about, but think about
it; is there anyone that does not have one Christmas function (company dinner
or otherwise) that is already scheduled in November?
Like I said, the holiday eating season is upon us.
It all seems so overwhelming when I am trying to eat
sensibly and shed pounds. Everywhere I
turn from October through January there seems to be an event or an occasion
where food is the main star. Best to
tackle them one at a time. I’ll leave
Oktoberfest out of the equation because, lets face it, it’s a local demon I
need to face. We’ll start with
Thanksgiving. Whether you celebrate it
in October or in November Thanksgiving can be a major set back to your weight
loss success. But, only if you let it!
Studies show that the average dinner sets us back 2,000 –
3,000 calories more than the average daily allowance. That’s NOT 2,000 – 3,000 calories for the dinner.
No! No! No!
That’s 2,000 to 3,000 calories MORE than is normally
consumed. Since I am trying to lose
weight my calorie count is probably lower than “the average daily allowance” so
if I let myself indulge I can only imagine what my personal over-consumption
numbers would be?
So what are some tips to make sure that the only stuffed at
the Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey?
The following list is a compilation of advice found on various websites,
including www.webmd.com, www.lucilleroberts.com/5-healthy-eating-tips-to-survive-thanksgiving-dinner,
and www.diet.com/dietblogs.
EAT BREAKFAST – You may be tempted to try and save some of
those breakfast calories for later in the day when the “good” food comes to the
table but eating a small meal in the morning can actually give you more control
over your appetite. Start your day with
a small satisfying breakfast and you won’t arrive at your gathering feeling
starved. Plus, missing out on your
first meal of the day slows down your metabolism, which causes your body to
store more calories later.
EASY ON THE ALCOHOL – Alcohol calories can add up
quickly! Have a glass of wine or one
drink and then have a glass of water or enjoy sparkling water before having a
second drink (if you must). That way
you stay hydrated; limit your alcohol calories and, stay sober.
LIGHTEN UP YOUR PLATE – If you are hosting Thanksgiving
dinner you can make your recipes healthier and chances are your guests will not
even notice the subtle changes. Use fat
free chicken broth to baste the turkey and make the gravy. Use sugar substitutes in place of sugar
and/or fruit purees instead of oil in baked goods. Reduce the oil and butter whenever you can. Try plain yogurt or fat free sour cream in
creamy dips, mashed potatoes, and casseroles.
If you are attending dinner at someone else’s home ask if you can bring
a few dishes to share, that way you can make some lighter dishes. Most hostesses welcome not having to prepare
everything.
POLICE YOUR PORTIONS – Not only on Thanksgiving, but every
day of the year make sure you fill at least half your plate with veggies. Thanksgiving is a great meal for calorie
counting because so many dishes are already on any healthy eating plan; turkey
is a lean meat and yams are an excellent source of fiber
If your dinner is going to be buffet style, survey the table
before you fill your plate and decide what you are gong to choose. Then select reasonable-sized portions of
foods you cannot live without. Don’t
waste calories on foods that you can have all year long. Fill you plate with small portions of
holiday favorites that only come around once a year so you can enjoy desirable,
traditional foods.
Make some healthy swaps when you are choosing what to
include on your plate; choose white meat instead of dark meat, green bean
casserole instead of stuffing, dinner roll instead of corn bread, pumpkin pie
instead of pecan pie, homemade cranberry sauce instead of canned and baked
sweet potato instead of candied yams.
SAVOR YOUR FOOD – It is difficult to sit down and enjoy a
meal on a regular day and even more so when you’re suddenly faced with a
feast. First and foremost, remember to
eat slowly. Put your fork down between
bites and actually taste the food you are eating. Experts agree that it the best way to enjoy your meal and feel
satisfied with one plate of food. If
possible choose whole grains, fruits, vegetables, broth based soups, salads,
and other foods with lots of water and fiber to add to the feeling of fullness.
SKIP THE SECONDS – Try to resist the temptation to go back
for second helpings. Leftovers are much
better the next day, and if you limit yourself to one plate, you are less
likely to overeat and have some room for a delectable dessert choice.
TAKE A WALK – Instead of jumping from the main course into
the dessert round, excuse yourself from the table and take a brisk Take a couple of friends and family members
with you to keep enjoying the company. The
added bonus here is you leave the “skinny” people behind to clear the
table and do the dishes before dessert is served!
A FEW RAPID FIRE SUGGESTIONS:
- Have doggy bags ready or encourage your guest to bring containers. You really only need one plate of leftovers for the next day and all the extra food in your refrigerator is nothing but a temptation.
- Eat before the party starts. Don’t go to dinner starving. Have a low calorie snack before hitting the Thanksgiving table. You are less likely to overeat if you have your appetite under control
- Avoid finger foods. Nibbling before, during and after the main meal is a recipe for a bellyache.
- Choose white meat. White-meat turkey is one of the best low-fat protein sources for the dieter.
- Stay on your personal schedule. If you already maintain a fitness schedule, don’t let Thanksgiving derail it, but …
- Don’t use exercise as an excuse to over-indulge. On average, you need to walk one mile to burn about 100 calories (15 minutes at 4 mph) while it takes only 2 seconds to gobble 100 calories of food.
PLAN AHEAD – Start adding a little more exercise to your
routine for several days before the BIG DINNER. This will give you an overall calorie deficit and may offset any
damage done at the dinner.
BE REALISTIC – You may possibly want to shift to weight
maintenance during the holidays.
Dieting through Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be a chore. Make good choices, eat in moderation and
keep moving. Limiting the damage
instead of eliminating it will reduce your stress about holiday meals. Stress can lead to further overeating. Sometimes, not gaining during the holidays
is as good as losing. Start fresh when
it’s over and done with. You did not
gain all your weight by eating one meal, and you are not going to blow your
whole diet with one meal. Just
remember, it called a holi-DAY not a holi-MONTH!
FOCUS ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS – Thanksgiving is not about the
bounty of food, it’s a time to celebrate relationships with family and
friends. That should be the main
event. Spend quality time socializing.
REMEMBER TO BE THANKFUL –
Be thankful
that you are surrounded by your family and/or friends.
Be thankful
that you are able to enjoy a table abundant with food.
Be thankful that you can make
choices at this meal because you know you will have another meal to enjoy
tomorrow.
