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Do you come away from holiday dinners feeling more stuffed than the turkey? There’s help and hope. The long holiday season swarms with temptations to overeat. Eating frenzies from Thanksgiving through New Year’s may increase weight by as much as four to five pounds, but the average gain comes closer to one pound. Planning ahead helps avoid increased calorie intake and excessive eating during special occasions.
What holiday dinner choices tend to add the most extra calories? Delicious stuffing? Yams floating in sugar and butter? Tantalizing desserts? Simple tips can help decrease holiday over-indulgence.
- Identify foods loaded with the most calories and make an alternate choice.
- Pass up second servings. Most of us leave holiday dinner tables not only full, but miserable. Fill your plate once and if you sample many dishes, cut portion size to less than usual.
- Eat slowly and savor the flavor longer. Take time to think about what you are chewing and relish every morsel.
- Consider lower calorie desserts. Compare the following approximate calorie values per serving and choose wisely:
- mincemeat pie (500 calories);
- pecan pie (450 calories);
- apple pie (425 calories);
- pumpkin pie (325 calories);
- coconut cake (400 calories);
- fruitcake (150 calories);
- eggnog (350 calories);
- mixed frozen fruit (250 calories).
If you can’t resist eating a high-calorie dessert, request a half-serving. For pies, consider leaving the crust and foregoing the whipped topping.
Calorie-laden foods need not enslave us this Thanksgiving. Choose wisely and be thankful for the bounty God provides.
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