7 Survival Tips for the Holiday Feeding Frenzy

By Diane Henderiks, R.D. of Dietitian in the Kitchen™ and True Citrus Consulting Nutritionist

The holidays are the time to reunite with friends and family and to be grateful for our blessings. 

For many of us though, the mere thought of holiday dinners brings to mind endless hours at the gym repenting for overindulgence. It's no wonder, since the average celebratory dinner can have more than 2,000 calories!

Follow these seven sensible holiday tips to fully enjoy festive meals and the entire holiday season without feeling guilty or gaining weight.

1. Motivated mindset!
2. Don’t go to the table hungry!
3. Deprivation leads to overindulgence!
4. Move it!
5. Lighten the liquids!
6. The satisfaction signal!
7. Dinner plate diagram!
 

1. Motivated mindset! You’ve got to be in the right “frame of mind” to successfully not succumb to temptation during the holidays.   Now is the time to either begin or continue being aware of good food choices.

2. Don’t go to the table famished! Have a wholesome breakfast and lunch and eat a light snack one hour before dinner.  You are more likely to overeat and make unhealthy choices if you are famished.

3. Deprivation leads to overindulgence! Taste everything you desire but watch the portions of high fat and high sugar items.

4. Move it! Exercise! Our frenzied holiday schedules may have tempted us to stray from exercising … time to get moving!  Best line of defense against weight gain!

5. Lighten the liquids! Drink lots of water (make your water taste better with zero-calorie True Lemon, True Lime or True Orange) and replace sugary beverages with seltzers infused with True products, fresh juices, herbs and spices or iced herbal teas. Cut down on alcohol; booze can pack some serious calories, so if you choose to have a cocktail, drink one glass of non alcoholic, unsweetened beverage for each alcoholic beverage consumed.  Choose wine, spritzers, light beer or spirits mixed with no calorie beverages vs. egg nog, cream drinks, etc. 

6. The satisfaction signal! Listen to your stomach! Eat slowly and stop when you feel satisfied.   It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to signal your stomach that you’ve had enough.  Pay attention to what it feels like to be satisfied and not full.

7. Dinner plate diagram!
- Fill half of your plate with sauce-free, steamed, roasted or baked non-starchy veggies.
- Choose about 1 cup of cooked starches (size of about a tennis ball)
- Choose 3-6 ounces of lean protein. That’s about the size of a blackberry --not the fruit, how times have changed ; )

Final note: Put gravies, sauces, dressings, chutneys and other condiments on the side.  These can pack on the calories!

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