The holidays can be a time of excitement for all of us when we are surrounded by family and friends. Along with great company, the holidays are synonymous with our favorite foods. Below are some tips to avoid increasing your waistline while still enjoying all of your favorite foods!

• Stay hydrated: people often confuse thirst for hunger. Remember to drink eight glasses of water a day to fight off false hunger pains.
• Do not go to the party hungry: Eating a healthy meal/snack before the party helps us to avoid over eating later.
• Keep active: Although we can get caught up in all the commotion of the season, remember to keep on your normal routine of physical activity. If the weather is stopping your outdoor activities, find a place to be active indoors like your community center or power walking in the mall.
• Enjoy all of your favorite foods: Allow yourself every food that you want, but do it in moderation. All foods can work into your day; but remember to balance higher calorie foods with lower calorie foods and control your portion size.
• Choose beverages with little to no calories: The holidays can often include seasonal beverages that are full of calories like eggnog and cider. These beverages are high in calories and do not help us to feel full. Limit these beverages to 1-2 per outing.
• Don’t begin a diet over the holiday months: It is best that goals during the holidays are realistic. Weight loss over the holiday months is unlikely. Rather than setting ourselves up for failure set a more realistic goal like weight maintenance.

If you are the one in charge of preparing the feast, here are some easy tips for making healthier foods for your guests:

• Reduce the fat: When baking you can substitute up to half of the oil with unsweetened applesauce. This will not affect the product, but it will reduce the calories.
• Cut out the salt: In most dishes you can cut the amount of salt in half and replace it with a salt substitute like Mrs. Dash or any of your favorite herbs and spices. This is an easy change that will not cause a change of taste in your product.
• Lower the cholesterol: If your recipe calls for 1 egg, substitute it with 2 egg whites and a ¼ cup egg substitute. This will nearly cut out all of the cholesterol in your baked goods.
• Ditch the sugar high: Look for products at the store that you can substitute for sugar like Splenda for baking. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of sugar, use 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of your sugar substitute.

The holidays are a time for focusing on family, friends, and a healthy balance on eating. Enjoy!

At Nutrition Care Systems, Inc, we are dedicated to providing comprehensive tools to the LTC industry. Please contact us for more information on how we can help your facility. (800) 761-9200