Written By Jeffrey Roth
Are you worried that by the end of the holidays, you might qualify as a contestant for TV’s weight-loss reality show, “The Biggest Loser?”
Never fear. By following simple strategies, you can avoid one of the season’s nastiest pitfalls: overeating.
Nutrition expert Wendy Rigler, who teaches health and nutrition-related courses at Carroll Community College and the Community College of Baltimore County, said there are a number of effective ways to ward off holiday pounds and maintain healthy eating habits.
To begin with, stress, temptation and a culture that links food with celebrations, are three main reasons we overeat during the holiday season.
“First, you might want to take a look at what triggers you to overeat during the holidays,” said Rigler, a native of Taneytown. “It might be that eating is not the issue. It may be the relationship you have with a parent or a sibling.”
Plan a healthy coping mechanism that does not involve food, she advised. Exercise, yoga, relaxation and writing about stressful situations are healthy and effective approaches to managing stress.
“People tend to eat because it is a pleasurable experience,” said Rigler. “In the process, dopamine, (a body neurotransmitter), is released in the brain; it’s pleasant, so you tend to repeat the behavior.”
Rigler said the holiday season spans about six weeks É “a huge amount of time for someone who is trying to maintain a diet or lose weight.” Instead of viewing the season as “six weeks of all you can eat,” she said, look at it as two or three specific holiday gatherings.
“Exchange the idea of losing pounds during four days with maintaining a healthy diet,” Rigler said. “One study showed that people who eat an average of 2,000 calories a day will increase their caloric intake during one holiday gathering to about 2,600 to 3,000 calories. Instead of trying to deny yourself food, increase the frequency or intensity of your exercise routine.”
Parents of young children, she advised, do not “clean your child’s plate” by eating what they did not finish. And at a family gathering, consider beforehand who you are likely to sit beside.
“This is all a process you can go through before you get there,” Rigler said. “From the time you walk in the door, alcohol is often associated with social gatherings. If you feel pressured to drink, it’s good to have a glass of water or other non-caloric drink next to you so you can alternate between the two. A beer can have 180 calories per serving. Alcohol can add a huge number of calories from the get-go.”
Are appetizers available as far as the eye can see? If so, instead of aimless grazing, Rigler said, assess all of the options and choose one or two.
“Once you eat an appetizer, remove yourself from the food area – out of sight, out of mind,” said Rigler, who advocates visualizing as a planning technique. “There is a big difference between a buffet-style and a sit-down function.”
At a buffet, with one glance, you can assess all the dishes being offered. At a sit-down meal, she said, look at everything that is to be served and “tell yourself these are the five things I am going to allow myself to eat.”
Ask for a smaller plate. Skip every other dish. Engage in conversation. An “old technique,” but an effective one, “is put your fork down between every bite É pace yourself, don’t race yourself,” she said.
“You are going to experience food pushers; someone who brings food and says Ôyou’ve gotta eat some of this,’” Rigler said. “You don’t want to hurt their feelings by saying no. Just say I’d love to try it and take just one bite.”
Clothing choice is another pre-planning strategy. Wear comfortable shoes, even sneakers. Studies have shown, she said, that by wearing sneakers, you tend to naturally increase your pace. Park as far away from the destination as possible.
“Wear tighter clothes É I don’t mean skin-tight clothes, but some pants that actually fit,” Rigler said. “Some people anticipate that they are going to wear spandex pants because they plan to eat a lot. With a normal-fitting pair of pants, you’re physically going to feel the amount that you have eaten before your brain registers it.”
Choose nutrient-dense foods. A cupcake can contain 250 calories É so does an apple, she said. The apple is the nutrient dense choice and it also offers fibers, antioxidants, vitamins and other dietary benefits.
Another trick Rigler uses to reduce temptation, particularly when she is the host, is to put candy and other sweets in solid-colored, rather than clear dishes. If the dish is clear, she said, the candy is always visible, but in a solid colored-dish – out of sight, out of mind.
Darlene Flaherty, a registered dietician and director of nutrition services at the Carroll County Health Department, is also an advocate of planning. She offered three basic tips for healthful eating during the holidays:
“Make time to eat breakfast every morning,” said Flaherty, a Pittsburgh native who has lived in Carroll County for the past 27 years. “Enjoy healthy meals containing lean protein, vegetables, whole grains and fruits, before you dive into the desserts and sweets.”
Keep a supply of healthy foods on hand, including low-fat and non-fat cheeses, dips, dressings, whole grain crackers. Carry nuts, string cheese, dried fruit and other snacks. Bring water or other healthy, low-calorie drinks along on shopping trips, she said. Make quality, not quantity, food choices. Eat slowly. Control serving sizes and limit the number of desserts or holiday treats.
“Balance holiday food with activity,” Flaherty said. “Promise yourself 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity every day and make active time fun time. Take a walk to see holiday decorations, play outside with your children or grandchildren or plan to meet a friend at the gym. Chew gum or drink water to keep from eating. Schedule a walk after dinner. Plan a scavenger hunt or other outside activities.”
Alcoholic drinks are not only high in calories, she said, they also decrease inhibitions and determination. But non-alcoholic holiday favorites, such as eggnog and cider can also add calories. Flaherty suggested drinking sparkling waters with lemon or lime; mix sugar-free soda with fruit juices; for example, a cranberry and diet ginger ale mix.
“You don’t need to prepare three different kinds of pie or bake dozens of different cookies,” she said. “Studies show that the greater the variety of foods to choose from, the more we will eat. Give your brain 20 minutes to tell your stomach you are satisfied. Send leftovers home with others – if you are tempted, give it away. Don’t feel guilty for enjoying food. Be selective; choose only the foods you really want.”
As a cook, Flaherty said, take the initiative and lighten holiday recipes by making simple substitutions. Check the library or the Internet for lower-calorie versions of holiday foods. Instead of sour cream, use low-fat yogurt. For stuffings, saut vegetables in reduced-fat chicken broth. Skim fat from meat drippings before making gravy. Use evaporated skim milk in sauces, soups and pies. Use reduced-fat cream soups in casseroles. Use two egg whites in place of each whole egg.
Lori and Bob Hollander, Carroll County family communication relationship counselors and therapists, said couples can help rescue one another from stressful familial situations. The key to recognizing stressors is knowing “yourself deeply É accepting yourself and accepting others and not beating yourself up” for perceived failures, said Hollander.
“In a relationship, people can support each other, help with their mutual families and cope with stress,” said Lori Hollander. “If we go to my family, and I know I have a difficult relationship with one of my parents, Bob can be ready. If he sees I am getting into some issues, he can intervene, pipe in; he can help soothe the situation.”
The Hollanders said they have their own prearranged “rescue” signals to alert one another if they need assistance. Family gatherings, although laced with positive traditions, also have some unhealthy rituals of communication and stressful family dynamics; familial guilt paths people take again and again.
Instead, said Bob Hollander, try to focus on the meaning of the holidays: the underlying themes of love, understanding, acceptance, sharing, validation; the essence and spirit of family and community. Show respect through listening and others often reciprocate, he said.
“The reason people overeat, over-drink, and overdo during the holidays, is to self-soothe É it’s a mechanism to deal with anxiety,” said Lori Hollander. “If you can use your relationship as something soothing, it is certainly a lot more healthy and it will bring a couple closer as a team.”
