1. Take time for yourself
2. Be realistic


Don’t try to loose pounds during the holidays, instead try to maintain your
current weight
Don’t set unrealistic exercise goals
3. Take the focus off food



Create new, more active, traditions (ie – ice skating)
Turn candy and cookie making time into non-edible projects like making
wreaths, dough art decorations or a gingerbread house
Try serving a holiday meal to the community, playing games or going on a
walking tour of decorated homes
4. It’s all about BALANCE




Don’t try to stick to an overly restrictive diet – be sure to make room for
some of the things you enjoy
Feeling deprived can result in binge eating
Don’t starve yourself
Don’t skip meals – especially not breakfast (breakfast “revs up” your
metabolism so that you use more calories)
5. Drink plenty of water
6. Be careful with beverages



Avoid or limit liquid calories – alcohol is packed with calories
Choose light beer and wine over mixed drinks
Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating
7. Plan time for exercise



Make your workouts a priority
Continue to exercise regularly – exercise will help keep extra calories away,
but it also can reduce the stress of social events and family get-togethers
Daily exercise can partially help offset increased holiday eating
8. Don’t eat too much late in the day
9. Pace, don’t race


Chew food very well, eating more slowly
Savor the flavor by eating slowly and choosing your food carefully
10.Focus diet around veggies
11.Choose healthier options


Bring your own healthy dish to a holiday gathering
Practice healthy holiday cooking
12.Don’t try and start a new diet during the holidays


Set a goal of trying to maintain your present weight
Allow yourself to indulge here and there, but don’t go over the edge
13.Don’t go to a party or event on an empty stomach




When we become overly hungry we tend to overindulge and have less
control and willpower
Don’t skip meals before the big meal – you will be too hungry and may
overeat
Before leaving for a party, eat a light snack like raw vegetables or a piece of
fruit to curb your appetite
You will be less tempted to over-indulge
14.Mingle

It will keep your mind off of the food and drinks available to you at the
party
15.Small servings


Watch you portion sizes
Instead of eating a large amount of food, try to eat a large variety of foods
16.Move yourself or the tempting food out of easy reach

Stand far away from the buffets so you are not tempted to nibble constantly
17.Scan the buffet table before filling your plate


Choose your favorite foods and skip your least favorite
Include veggies and fruits to keep your plate balanced
18.Begin the meal with a salad or veggies
19.Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed
20.Carry a fold-up toothbrush with you and go brush your teeth to
stop nibbling at goodies
21.If you overeat at one meal, go light on the next

It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your
normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound
22.After dinner, go for a long walk
23.Remember . . . . holidays are just days
WAYS TO PROVIDE HEALTHIER MEALS IF COOKING:
1. Lower the fat content:
 Replace butter with unsaturated oils such as olive or canola oil
 Cut the fat content of a traditional recipe by 1/3
2. Use non-fat or reduced fat dairy or dairy substitutes like soy
3. Bake, broil, steam instead of frying
4. Season with herbs, spices and tangy vegetables
5. Serve roasted vegetables, fruits and reduced fat cheeses for appetizers
6. Serve whole grains (ie – rice pilaf, long grain rice) instead of stuffing
7. Try winter squash as an alternative to potatoes
8. Make a healthy desert along with cookies
9. Cut the sugar in recipes
10. Sprinkle hot veggies with lemon juice, vinegar or dill instead of butter/margarines
or use low calorie margarine
11. Use low fat canned cream soup in the traditional casseroles
Recipe substitutions
Recipe calls for
Substitution
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
sour cream
low fat plain yogurt or low fat sour
cream
Milk
skim or 1% milk
ice cream
frozen yogurt
heavy cream (not for
whipping)
1:1 ratio of flour whisked into non fat
milk (eg. 1 cup of flour + 1 cup of
non fat milk)
whipped cream
chilled evaporated skim milk or other
low fat whipped products such as
Nutriwhip
Cheese
low-fat cheese (please note: non-fat
cheese does not melt well if use in
cooking or baking)
Butter
light butter
cream of mushroom
low-fat or fat-free cream of
mushroom
HOLIDAY DISH MAKEOVER

Gravy – Refrigerate the gravy to harden fat. Skim the fat off. This will
save 56 gm of fat per cup.

Dressing – Use a little less bread and add more onions, garlic, celery and
vegetables. Add fruits such as cranberries or apples. Moisten or flavor with
low fat, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth and applesauce.

Turkey – Enjoy delicious, roasted turkey breast without the skin and save
11 grams of saturated fat per 3 oz serving.

Green Bean Casserole – Cook fresh green beans with chucks of
potatoes instead of cream soup. Top with almonds instead of fried onion
rings.

Mashed Potatoes – Use skim milk, chicken broth, garlic or garlic
powder, and a small amount of grated parmesan cheese instead of whole
milk and butter.

Quick Holiday Nog – Four bananas, 1-1/2 cups skim milk or soymilk,
1-1/2 cups plain nonfat yogurt, ¼ teaspoon rum extract, and ground nutmeg.
Blend all ingredients except nutmeg. Puree until smooth. Top with nutmeg.

Desserts – Make a crustless pumpkin pie. Substitute two egg whites for
each whole egg in baked recipes. Replace heavy cream with evaporated
skim milk in cheesecakes and cream pies. Top cakes with fresh fruit, fruit
sauce, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead of fattening frosting.