Surviving the Holidays
These are pretty good and come from the fine folks over at the Discovery Health site. You may not be able to do all 9 tips all the time, but maybe you can do 1 or 2 for the duration of the holiday. As for myself, I'm a 4 and 5 kinda gal 
How about you?
1) Eating Out. Restaurant entrees are a challenge. Look at the dish before you and cut the starch (rice, pasta, potato) by a third to half and eat the rest.
2) Beware of Bread. Whether you're at a restaurant or a special event, watch out for bread and bread products everywhere. In the best of all worlds, you have one serving daily of a whole-wheat or multi-grain type bread. Eat it slowly and enjoy.
3) Beware of Buffets. Buffets are especially difficult for people who just don't know when to say "no." Try small servings of lots of interesting foods. Use a smaller plate to limit yourself. Try to stick to one serving rather than loading up many times over.
4) Don't Leave Home Hungry. Before you leave for your event, make sure you're not hungry. If you are, have something simple like a piece of fruit, two low-fat string cheese sticks, or a yogurt or a multi-grain cracker with a serving of low-fat peanut butter on it. All of these will help fill you up and give you control over the foods you choose.
5) Daily Exercise. Before attending a special event where food will be served, get in your exercise that day. That's like putting money in the bank because it frees up some calories to spend on foods at the event.
6) Call Ahead. If you know the hostess or host of the event, call ahead and tell her or him that you don't eat red meat, or ask if there will be a choice of fruit for dessert rather than the chocolate mousse. Most people are more than happy to accommodate their guests' needs.
7) Bring Your Own Food. If it's a potluck, you're the one in luck! Bring your own food to share with others. Veggies, fruit and healthy sources of protein are great to bring. They cover you and put you in charge!
8) Watch the Alcohol. Be careful about how much alcohol you consume at an event. The more you drink, the more uninhibited you become, which means you stop paying attention and start making mistakes. Limit yourself to no more than two glasses of wine. Try to avoid hard liquor — for the calories and because mixing liquor and wine can lead to overeating.
9) Dealing With Desserts. At any event, there's always that wild-and-crazy and ever-so-tempting dessert. Learn to share. The more the merrier. If you end up eating a third of that creme brulee, well done. It will save you the fat and calories, as well as teach you, once again, how to savor.
Next entry: 7 Holiday Foods That Are Actually Good For You
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3 Comments
12.14.06 | Bob commented: Traditional holiday cooking is high in fat but I don't like the alternatives, they just don't taste the same. I read about a new natural fat replacement ingredient on page 90 of Dr. Mehmet Oz's new bestseller, "You on a Diet." He seems to really like it and states that a panel thought everything made with it tasted great (and not what I call "diety"). He goes on to talk about how it even contributes fiber to foods that would not normally contain any (margarines, butters, oils, and presumably gefilte, kishke, matzo; schmaltz, even). If this Z Trim is a way to assure the traditional taste with fewer fat calories and more fiber, I could be convinced. One last hurdle: I'm wondering if it is Kosher certified. Have you heard anything?
12.17.06 | renee commented: Sorry Bob, I have no idea if any if them items are Kosher certified.
Re: You on a diet. You are like the 3rd person in recent weeks to mention it with a positive word. I look forward to reading it in the next week or two.
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Thanks
I like buffets but I like to go eat a lot of veggies first look around then get a small plate of food and then sweets.
Valerie