Add a Dash of Health to Your Holidays

The holiday season is a time to celebrate with family and friends, and for most of us that includes treating ourselves to delicacies and goodies. Holiday feasting, however, comes with a cost. Many people gain weight during the holidays and often have trouble losing the pounds afterwards.

You can avoid putting on weight this year by adding a dash of health to your holidays. With some minor changes, you’ll stay on track for healthy eating and still enjoy the cheer that this time of year offers. Here are tips for making the holidays healthier.

Healthy Baking

Holiday celebrations usually feature sweets and desserts like cookies, pies, and cakes. Here are ways to make your holiday baking healthier:

• Use whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour has more fiber, which slows down digestion and increases the sense of fullness, causing you to eat less. Substituting whole wheat flour in baking recipes can be done easily, but there some factors to consider. Check out this article on how to make the substitution.
• Reduce sugar. For many recipes, the amount of sugar can be reduced by a third without significantly affecting the taste. You can also try replacing white sugar with a sugar substitute that is suitable for baking, like monk fruit. Learn more about baking with sugar substitutes.
• Cut saturated fat. Butter, shortening, oil, and other saturated fats can be reduced in most recipes by up to half. For example, if a recipe calls for one cup of butter, try making it with half a cup instead. To maintain texture, replace the missing butter with another ingredient, such as fat-free sour cream, low-fat yogurt, or unsweetened applesauce.
• Substitute light versions of products. Make your baked goods healthier and lower in calories by replacing some ingredients with lower-fat and lower-sugar alternatives. For example, if a recipe calls for sour cream, use low-fat sour cream instead. Light cream cheese can be used rather than regular cream cheese, with about 30% fewer calories and 50% less fat. Rather than whole milk or cream, use skim or 1% milk or fat-free evaporated milk.
• Use egg whites. For each whole egg in a recipe, you can replace it with two egg whites. Using egg whites instead of whole eggs eliminates cholesterol and significantly reduces fat. Egg whites are also lower in calories. Consider replacing some whole eggs with alternatives, such as unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.

When modifying a recipe to make it healthier, some experimentation may be needed. Be sure to test your changes ahead of time. You don’t want to serve a modified recipe for the first time at a holiday party, only to find out its taste or texture is unappealing.

Reducing Holiday Calories

There are several strategies you can use to reduce your calorie intake during the holiday season, without missing out on the fun:

• Fill your plate with fruits and vegetables first. From the assortment of foods at holiday gatherings, choose fruits and vegetables first to fill up your plate. Then add small portions of less healthy items.
• Take your favorite healthy dish to a party. By making a healthy dish and bringing it with you to an event, you’ll know there will be at least one healthy choice.
• Control portion sizes. Put smaller portions on individual plates instead of letting family and guests serve themselves from large communal dishes. Using smaller size plates or dishes can also help, as it makes smaller portions look larger and more satisfying. Keeping serving dishes off the table reduces the temptation to take second helpings.
• Don’t eat from large containers. When snacking, don’t eat directly from the original bag or box. Always place a small portion in a bowl or on a dish first and put the larger container away to prevent excessive snacking.
• Practice mindful eating. Try to be aware of what you are consuming and how often you’re eating. Mindful eating involves paying more attention to the experience of eating, using all your senses to appreciate the flavors, textures, and aromas of the food. Also pay attention to fullness cues and stop eating before you feel completely full.
• Keep a food diary. Tracking what you’ve eaten during the holidays will help you stay committed to your goals.
• Prepare healthy snacks in advance. Keep a supply of healthy snacks handy so they are ready when you feel hungry between meals. Store higher-calorie foods like cookies and candy out of sight.
• Don’t always have dessert. Rich desserts are a holiday ritual, but you don’t always have to partake. Avoid having a dessert with every dinner or split a dessert with a family member or friend.
• Take care of your stress. The holiday season can be stressful for many people, and that can induce overeating. Managing stress will help you eat less during the holidays. Check out our tips for managing holiday stress.

Don’t Deprive Yourself

You may be tempted to deprive yourself of favorite holiday foods, but that’s not a good idea. Missing out on celebratory dishes can make you sad, which in turn can lead to unhealthy overeating. Instead, focus on enjoying favorite holiday foods in moderation and balance your plate with healthy choices like fruits and vegetables.

Also, remember to stay active during the holidays. Maintaining your regular exercise routine, and adding activities like taking a walk after dinner, will help you burn off calories and prevent weight gain. Check out our other tips to stay healthy during the holidays.