Top Diet Tips For This Holiday Season

Shop Smart for Healthy Holidays: Plan your menu to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, whole grains, and low-fat dairy. Consult the nutrition label on the back of the item to choose foods rich in nutrients, lower in fat, calories, and sugar. Reduce the amount or choose low fat, if you plan to add nuts, cheese, gravy, butter, and whipped cream.

Substitute with low calorie cooking: If you are doing most of the cooking, you can substitute with low calorie and still tasty alternatives. In holiday recipes, two egg whites can take the place of one whole egg. Fat-free yogurt, light cream cheese, low fat milk in place of high-fat/calorie ingredients. Cooking with cheese? Use a reduced-fat brand — you won’t even miss the calories. Grilled pork chops served with a mango salsa can replace pork chops smothered with heavy cream sauce. Actually most heavy cream sauces can be replaced for low calorie lighter and delicious sauces. The white sauce that is the basis for so many classic sauces is traditionally made with butter and flour. Where recipes call for a creamy consistency in the sauce, use low fat natural yogurt or half fat crme fraiche in place of cream. To prevent separation when the sauce is heated, stir 2 tbsp of cornflour in to stabalize it. In place of full-fat cream cheeses in a sauce, use ricotta, a low fat fromage frais or other low fat substitutes. Simple swaps of lower-fat ingredients are easy ways to reduce the calories — and no one will even notice the difference.

Grill or Roast your dish for fewer calories: Grilling or roasting brings out a rich flavor in meat, seafood, vegetables, and potatoes. Grilling or roasting is also a simple easy way to prepare a dish. Try roasted sweet potatoes with a dash of cinnamon sugar and a spritz of butter for a delicious meal substitute for your calorie-laden traditional casserole.

Eat & enjoy! Before you have the holiday gathering and meal, eat a light snack of egg with toast or yogurt and a slice of apple. Most appetizers tend to be loaded with fat and calories and they look so delicious it is easy to over eat them before the meal. With a light snack beforehand, you will be ready for the seasonal festivities and might just avoid the appetizers all together!

Serve Low Calorie Healthier Desserts: What about pumpkin pie with fat-free whipped cream, now that is a healthy alternative, if you make it, use non-fat evaporated milk. Chocolate-dipped strawberries can be a colorful and delicious dessert alternative to a heavy chocolate, creamy cake and ice-cream and will be enjoyed just as much!

Drink up: Enjoy nonalcoholic drinks between alcoholic beverages. Eggnog and other holiday beverages are filled with calories. Offer plenty of low-cal beverages such as diet soda, sparkling water, or a low-calorie punch. You’ll stay hydrated and still be part of the holiday fun.

Active Holiday Gatherings: You can celebrate the holidays in many ways and is not just about food. You can be active indoors as wells as with activities outdoors. The sky is the limit outside, you can take a family stroll, show off your hometown, organize a snowball fight, snowman contest, a family to family football game. Indoors, try charades, games, dancing to funky holiday music. Everyone will boost their energy and not feel slugish after the holiday meal.

So when the holiday’s are here, think of these little tips to help you get through, try one or try them all. And if you end up splurging, don’t beat yourself up, enjoy and get back to your normal eating and exercising routine when the food fun is over. Try a new direction and healthier approach to maintain your weight throughout this coming new year and when the holidays roll around, you can splurge a bit, because you have learned what to avoid, substitute and alternative ways of eating and celebrating your holiday with family and friends.

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