This is sponsored content from BlogHer and The Laughing Cow.
How do you eat healthy and manage your portions during the holiday season with everyone showering unhealthy, yet great tasting food choices on you?
Everyone has a different idea of what constitutes eating healthy. Thanksgiving through New Years is a hard time for most people to maintain their waist line. Actually, no matter what time of year, I never like to watch what I eat!
Much of the holidays involves cooking and eating delicious foods made by family and friends. You may think that it isn't possible to enjoy holiday gatherings while eating healthy, and although it may be challenging, I actually think that it can be done!
I am a lucky girl because I don't have a sweet tooth nor am I a big drinker, and as I'm sure you know, alcohol and sweets have a lot of calories. Imagine the fat and calories you can eliminate by simply cutting out desserts and booze!
By not drinking and eating desserts, I am more able to enjoy the appetizers and the main courses. So you see, just by making these couple of adjustments, you can eat and enjoy most everything else, providing that you follow some other basic rules. Here are the rest of my tips for eating healthy and managing your portions during the holiday season...
1. Eat very small portions of everything, this way you can try all of the delicious foods at the parties without getting sick!
2. Only eat things that you really love and make you happy.
3. Eat healthy at home so you can really enjoy yourself at holiday parties.
4. If you have a choice between turkey and red meat, go for the turkey. Oh, and be sure to take the white meat and don't eat the skin if you can help it!
5. Fill your plate with salad before the main meal. By filling up on lettuce, you'll eat less after. Be sure to stay away from fattening dressings or you will defeat the purpose. If you can't find a bottle of low-cal dressing, just use some Balsamic mixed with water and Splenda for a great tasting, low-cal dressing.
6. While at a party, if you have the opportunity...dance, dance and dance. It is a great way to burn calories fast while having fun!
I am giving away a $150 Visa gift card from BlogHer! If you would like a chance to win, please leave a comment with your thoughts and tips as to how you eat healthy and manage your portions during the holiday season and you will be entered to win a $150 Visa gift card! Please keep your comments G-rated as any profanity or offensive content will automatically disqualify you from sweepstakes entry.
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tomahawk tom
I try to fill up on vegetables or something else low in calories before, then I am not as tempted to pig out on all of the unhealthy things.
For Thanksgiving I made a turkey cordonbleu using a turkey breast, some lean ham, with provolone. It was healthy and very good!
saskia
I keep healthy snacks with me so that I never get to the point where I am completely starving and can no longer make reasonable choices on what and how much to eat when meal times/parties arrive.
Melanie
I have a fondness for egg nog. Now if I avoid putting whipping cream in my recipe I am sure I can cut quite a few calories. Next-I eat small portions and try to eat them over a period of time--not all at once.
Shonneky
I'm not always successful at this but for the most part I practice portion control to keep myself for going way overboard. Then, on those days when I have clearly overindulged I make sure to move around and get plenty of exercise. These things definitely help me.
Michelle L.
Well, I'm Colombian & my fiance is Puerto Rican, so during the holidays many "holiday staples" in our culture are fried, but I try to bake things as much as I can get away with (the broiler is my friend). As for sweets I pick one, out of many. Watching your portions is the key.. I mean just because there are a gazillion bunuelos doesn't mean you have to eat more than 2-3 small ones, as tempting as it is. Also, dance all night... it's super fun and a great work out. And for those of us in the cold, going jogging isn't a tempting option but if you have a Wii or Kinects for the Xbox... why not play with the family. It requires lots of movemen & is fun to play with the kids. I even got my abuelita to virtual bowl. =)
Mami2jcn
Keeping a food journal and making sure I don't go over on calories is the best way for me not to go out of control.
Andrea
Boy, it's too hard for me to stay away from desserts! If I do, I just feel deprived, and there's no point in that. So I let myself have a sliver, a bite, enough for my tongue to get a real taste of it, and then I can let it go. It helps, though, to have something sweet and satisfying, like fruit, that I can follow up with if the urge hits me, so, if the celebration is not at my place, I like to bring fruit salad.
Simply Life
wow, great giveaway! I try to keep my exercise routine the same as the rest of the year and enjoy all foods I want to try but keep them to "tasters" and only go back for a couple things I REALLY want!
Chef E
Since I began my journey back from Anelisa's passing which was ten years this July, I knew I had to give up sweets, processed foods, eating out so often, and alcohol to regain my ability to work out in the gym and see results. I have gone down two sizes, and have a goal of another by Christmas (cross your fingers) and it is all due to will power and eating a balanced plate of 1/2 greens/salad, 1/4 protein and 1/4 starch (key, low starch, and substitute starch for more greens at dinner, eat during day).
I hope everyone takes this bull by its horns, or your health can be at risk as you get older. I am teaching my son that I also thought I was invincible being so thin, but after children I gained weight, so it has now become a life choice for me.
Great opportunity to help people think during this time, especially when illness can strike, or even worse during the big feast that go on!
Zhandra
The key words here are - OVER THE HOLIDAY. Over the holidays I plan my eating habits for the week, which i never do otherwise. The more tempting food exposures in each week means no sodas and no sweets outside of tempting food event. It also means daily smaller portions and way more salads or stir-frys. Thinking of the holiday goodies as my reward motivates me to eat this way.
I also try to get a 10-15min simple workout in each morning during December. Just get moving is the goal here (not breaking a sweat). Get it done in the morning first thing and get it out of the way!
Finally, and most importantly, I eat a medium sized banana before a party or luncheon.
I've done all these things for years and devoured many delicacies starting the new year without new pounds!
monica young
I increase household acitivities, dance and eat in moderation
Susan
It's sometimes wise to bring a dish. No hostess would be offended (probably grateful) and just make sure it's a healthy option. Then you have one safe dish to count on and can just build around it with the veggies and other offerings.
Kristen Bryant
At the start of the holiday season I was disheartened by family who simply told me to jump on the wagon after the holidays. The problem with that plan is that I can do a LOT of damage between now and then. So I have tried to take steps now.
After reading your article I realize I do a combination of strategies.
I do try to eat healthy at home & right before a big family meal like Thanksgiving.
I start with a huge helping of greens & tastes of the fattening things I love. I was able to resist 2nds of the bad for me stuff this way.
Most importantly I am trying to increase my activity level at home & at work, even to just go up and down the stairs an extra time.
I can't say that I am winning the battle of the bulge, but I think I have kept it from gaining ground. 🙂
Jimmy Ashe
I remember reading an article about how Italians have many courses during their meals, but that that eat mostly one of the courses and it fills them. It said that eating smaller portions of different things makes your brain think you aren't full as quickly as eating mostly one thing.
I really wish I remembered the article. Its been years, and my memory may be failing me. In any case, you gave great advice. Thanks!
Alecia
I DO have a sweet tooth, but one thing I do is if I do some holiday baking, I take all of it to wherever/whatever I was baking it for. I don’t keep any of it at my house. I will still eat it if I take it to work or to a party, but at least I don’t have leftovers to come home to!
Heather B
Well, sadly, I do have a sweet tooth and enjoy some cocktails! Of course portion control is a big part of it, but when you make the sweets/drinks yourself you have the greatest freedom!
I love to cook and bake, etc and I find it very rewarding to make "lighter" versions of my favorite things! If I do the baking I can control what goes in and know exactly what Im eating and how much of it! Also the same for drinks, I know if I use 100% fruit juice, fat free milk, add in spices instead of sugar garnishes I will be just as happy and cut out 100's of calories for me and my guests!
As far as the meals go, I know I will probably sample a cocktail, cookie or two so I go in knowing I am exchanging this for the extra savory stuff I dont need anyway! I instead go for the salad the green veggies and the lean meats. Its a trade off Im willing to make 🙂
Also being a busy hostess allows me to keep moving and keep on my feet making sure my guests are satisfied and keeping myself active instead of falling into the secure hold of the couch sampling everything there is to eat!
Everybody wins 🙂