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Dr. Kleiner's 10 Tips for Surviving the Season of Festive Feasting
"C'mon, have another slice of pie. We only celebrate once a year!" Comments like this are often made during the holiday season by well-meaning friends and relatives looking for company in indulgence. It's supposed to be a joyous time, but for those who are interested in sticking to a healthful diet and regular exercise routine, the season of celebration can be frustrating. Attending countless office parties, cocktail receptions, and dinner celebrations "weights heavily" on your body and mind. What's more, taking time out for gift shopping and entertainment preparation often infringes upon precious exercise time. These short but intense lifestyle interruptions can make you feel out of sorts, sometimes displacing holiday cheer. But this holiday season can be different.
The key to a guilt-free holiday is to set realistic goals. If you're trying to shed weight, you may not continue to lose at the same rate during this season. In fact, it may be unreasonable to expect to lose any weight during the holidays. Maintaining your present weight, or only gaining 2 or 3 pounds, instead of 8 or 10, is a more sensible goal.
Use these 10 survival tips to get through the holidays with plenty of joy of cheer. If, after all your planning, you do overindulge, don't feel guilty. Guilt only weakens your resolve to maintain healthy habits, not to mention that it spoils the fun of holiday celebrations.
1. Have a light snack before you go. Don't head to the party starving.
2. Celebrate the holiday with conversation, not just food. Don't crowd around the buffet table. Take a few things and then step away to avoid nonstop eating.
3. At cocktail parties, take the opportunity to try the foods that you don't regularly eat, and that you really enjoy. Skip those that are more regularly available or you don't really like very much.
4. Choose a smaller plate rather than a larger one at the buffet table. You'll find that you still have a full plate but you eat less food.
5. Enjoy the healthy reward of sweet potatoes and other vegetables. Even though these may be prepared differently than usual, they are still full of vitamins and minerals that are good for you. Take a serving and feel good about it.
6. Go light on the alcohol. It adds lots of calories and will weaken your willpower. Alternate with tonic water and lime.
7. You can indulge in dessert. Variety and moderation are the keys. Take one serving of foods that you enjoy. Even pumpkin pie. Avoid seconds and heaping helpings of higher calorie fare.
8. When you are the host or hostess: go light on the fat where it won't be missed. Substitute reduced fat or skimmed evaporated milk for whole evaporated milk, use light or nonfat mayonnaise and salad dressings for the full fat versions.
9. Enjoy the colorful abundance of fresh fruits during the holiday: pomegranates, figs, dates, apples, pears, citrus fruits. Include the healthy array of nuts available only at this time of year to round out a beautiful serving tray.
10. Make sure that you get more exercise than just raising your fork to your mouth. Try to stick to your usual exercise routine to balance your calories and your stress at this time of year.
These recipes are taken with permission from: Kleiner, SM, Freidman-Kester, K. The High Performance Cookbook. Macmillan Publishing, NY, NY, 1995.
Vegetable Yamcakes
This is a fragrant, wonderful side dish that is high in antioxidants and low in fat and calories.
1 large yam, grated
¼ cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
1 scallion, minced
2/3 carrot, chopped
1/8 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (3 whole), rehydrated in ¼ cup hot water
1/8 cup bulgur wheat or fat-free bread crumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
nonstick cooking spray
1. Combine the grated yam, corn kernels, scallion, and carrot. Drain the tomatoes and add them to the other vegetables. Add the bulgur wheat and garlic powder.
2. Beat the egg whites and whole egg together with a fork until slightly frothy. Add the egg to the vegetables and mix until all vegetables are coated.
3. Spray a nonstick pan with vegetable spray and heat it on high for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the pan and flatten slightly. Cook the patties on one side until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the patties over with a spatula nad cok on the other side until browned, and additional 5 minutes. Serve hot, or use as a cold snack when out hiking or biking. They will keep for several hours at room temperature and for a few days in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them for up to a month.
Makes 4 servings: 198 calories, 7 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fat
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.
Pumpkin Pump
A pudding rather than pie.
14 ½ ounces pumpkin puree
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon molasses
1/8 teaspoon powdered cloves
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon salt
2 whole eggs
6 ounces (1/2 can) evaporated skimmed milk
nonstick cooking spray
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Mix all of the ingredients (except cooking spray) in th order listed.
2. Lightly coat a small, oven-safe casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish and bake 10 minutes at 450 F, then 40 mi nutes at 350 F, or until set.
Makes 4 servings: 181 calories, 8 grams protein, 34 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fat.
Click here for a printable version of this recipe.
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