Did you know?

Holiday meals can be healthy as well as delicious.


The average American gains about two pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. That doesn’t seem like a lot, but the reality is that most people don’t lose the weight, which translates to 10 pounds in five years and so on. Other than going on a diet every year, what can be done to prevent weight gain?

Eating healthy throughout the holiday season and maintaining portion control are the two primary ways to keep weight under control during the holidays.

Here are some tips to keeping the waistline from bulging:

  • Skip full-fat dips. Use yogurt in place of full-fat sour cream and avoid mayonnaise. Or, use non-fat sour cream.
  • The easiest way to cut unnecessary calories during the holidays is to cut back on alcohol consumption. Dieticians from the American Dietetic Association recommend drinking wine spritzer: simply replace two of the five ounces of wine with club soda.
  • Along the same lines, the American Diabetes Association recommends limiting alcohol intake to one drink for women and two for men, while avoiding beverages with high calorie mixers, such as soda, tonic, juice or margarita mix. Opt for sugar free mixes instead.
  • Instead of serving candied yams, which have approximately 215 calories per half cup, try roasting them in the oven. A ¾ cup serving of yams brushed with olive oil is only 100 calories. You get all the whole food nutrients of the yams without the added empty calories from sugar.
  • Dark meat has about 40 percent more calories than turkey breast.
  • Eat your vegetables first at every meal. They will help fill you up, so you are less tempted to eat a lot of the fatty foods.
  • Avoid anything white, if possible. This includes white rolls, bread, pasta and rice. Choose whole grains whenever possible, because they contain more fiber.
  • Desserts are hard to resist, but the type of pie you eat can make a big difference in caloric intake. Pumpkin pie contains about 300 calories per slice while pecan pie has 500. Pumpkin provides vitamin A, calcium and iron. If you must have pecan pie or something equally rich, try to practice portion control and just “taste” each dessert instead of having a full serving.
  • Eat slowly. No on wants to be deprived of their favorite holiday foods, but there’s no need to wolf down gargantuan portions and rue the effects later. Try to eat the same amount of the “special” food that you would any other food.
  • Remember to stay active throughout the holidays. It’s easy to go off your daily regimen when there are so many social activities, but staying on your exercise routine is key to maintaining a healthy weight.