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Healthy Eating During the Holidays

Ten tips to help avoid overeating at social events

Studies show that people who enjoy too much holiday food can gain from five to seven pounds between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. There are ways to enjoy holiday eating without tipping the scale.
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“People convince themselves that it is okay to overindulge now because they will start dieting after January 1,” said Jill Myers, cardiovascular dietitian, Spectrum Health Healthier Communities. “The truth is that people who gain weight during the holidays tend to take at least one or two pounds into the new year. It doesn’t sound like much, but in 10 years that could be a gain of 20 pounds.”

This year, consider these 10 tips for enjoying the holidays without risking your waistline:

  1. Remember what’s important.’ Make the decision to focus on spending time with loved ones and enjoying the spirit of the season and not just the food.’
  2. Focus on weight maintenance.’ Now is not the time to try to lose weight; just trying to maintain your weight is a big enough challenge. Set a goal not to gain any weight and stick to it!
  3. Position yourself away from the food.’ Believe it or not, where you stand in the room makes a big difference on how much you eat.’ Standing near a food table increases the risk of overeating, so get the food you want to eat and find a place to sit and enjoy every bite.
  4. Bring a healthy dish.’ By bringing a healthy dish, you know there will be at least one thing you can eat at the party that isn’t high in fat and calories.’ Other guests will be able to eat healthy, too.
  5. Eat before you go.’ It is not a good idea to show up at a party hungry. It only increases the chance that you will overeat.’ Try eating a snack before leaving.
  6. Pay attention to portion size.’ Try small portions of your favorite foods.’ That is one way you can sample the bounty while limiting the calories.
  7. Be physically active every day. With our busy holiday schedules, there seems to be less time to exercise. However, physical activity such as a brisk walk can lower stress, help control appetite, and burn off the extra holiday calories.
  8. Make a plan! Take a lap around the food table and decide what foods you would like before eating.’ Try to avoid foods that you can eat all year around and focus on enjoying the foods that are made specifically for the holidays.
  9. Choose beverages wisely.’ Alcohol, eggnog, soda and fruit punch are all high in calories and can add pounds quickly.’ Choose not to drink your calories and select water or diet soda.”
  10. Maintain perspective.’ Overeating one day won’t make or break your eating plan.’ If you overeat at a holiday meal, put it behind you.’ Return to your usual eating plan the next day without guilt or despair.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system in West Michigan that offers a full continuum of care through its seven hospitals, more than 140 service sites and Priority Health, a health plan with nearly 500,000 members. Spectrum Health’s 14,000 employees, 1,500 medical staff members and 2,000 volunteers are committed to delivering the highest quality care to those in medical need.’ The organization provided $111.1 million in community benefit during its 2008 fiscal year. As a system, Spectrum Health has earned more than 100 awards during the past 10 years.