Avoiding Holiday Pounds-Part One

There are a plethora of national organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, that estimate how many pounds the average American will gain during the “holiday season” from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. Estimates range from one or two pounds to as many as seven pounds in that five-week period. If the seven pound estimate were even close to being accurate, it would mean that the average consumer would take in an additional 24,500 calories during that period of time. That seems like an immense amount (and it is) but that breaks down to about 700 additional calories every day during that time frame or about the equivalent of three butter cookies and three beers or soft drinks. It is my opinion, however, that the “holiday season” actually begins on Halloween in late October and that our obsession with calorie overload starts with the leftover candy that seems to be present in our offices, workplaces and home for weeks after trick or treat has ended.

What ever the source, the holiday pounds are likely not of the “lean body mass” variety but, rather, additional fat weight. But what are some of the things that we can do to avoid this seasonal dietary detour? First, as always, common sense plays a role and the suggestions that follow are applicable year round when the sheer volume of available food is not quite as apparent. Food, to some, is an expression of love but it is possible, perhaps, to love someone to death! Here are some ideas to help keep the holidays less caloric and just as merry and enjoyable whether you are the host or the hungry guest or relative.

First, start meals with soup or salads. High in “nutrient density”, they are a great way to start the process of satiety or “fullness” without sacrificing flavor. In addition, these types of foods have a higher water content, which adds to the feeling of fullness even more. Second, keep portion sizes as small as possible. Americans have begun to copy the consumption and serving patterns that we see in restaurants where “super-sizing” is the rule of the day. Be reasonable in the approach to the amount of food that is consumed and eat more slowly. This will allow the individual to enjoy the food more and the body can express the feeling of fullness more accurately –not to mention sooner!

From a preparation standpoint, cook with broth instead of butter and oils and, if you do cook with butter and/or oil, reduce the amount to a minimum just for taste. Most recipes can reduce the suggested amount of butter and oils with little loss of flavor and this even includes many baking recipes. Experiment to see how LITTLE butter and oil you need rather than pouring it on! For example, when preparing sweet potatoes, don’t drown them in butter and then coat them with sugar. Remember that they are already called SWEET potatoes for a reason and, therefore, don’t necessarily require the additional calories.

When making sauces and gravies from pan drippings from holiday meats, use a DEFATTING cup. These are simple kitchen devices (available in kitchen supply stores and many discount stores) that will significantly reduce the amount of fat and, more importantly, saturated fat in any given sauce or gravy recipe. The result is a flavorful and far LESS caloric condiment that’s easy to make.

These are just a FEW ideas for keeping the holiday weight gain from happening. There are more in Chapter Four—Diet Is A Four Letter Word of “Be Fit, Stay Fit—Why Your Workout Doesn’t Work…And How To Fix It!” and I’ll go over a few more (Part Two) in next week’s TOTW.

I’m Dr. Paul Kennedy and that’s the Be Fit, Stay Fit “Topic of the Week”. Good luck with YOUR program. I KNOW you can do it!

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