Eight Ways to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Indulging during the holidays is expected, but keep these tips in mind so the holidays don’t mark the start of a downward spiral into poor eating habits.

1. Weigh yourself

The holidays are not the time to avoid your scale. If you see the pounds creeping on, stop more weight gain as soon as you see it. Be proactive in avoiding holiday weight gain.

2. Write it down

Food journaling works best if you record your food and beverage intake as you go. Write down what, when, where and the quantity that you eat. Make sure to include all snacks and beverages even if you grab just one cracker on your way out the door.

3. Make time to exercise

Exercise helps you de-stress and clear your mind of all that you need to do this holiday season.

Walk the mall before you start shopping, take a new exercise class or practice some yoga or stretching to relax. If it’s too cold to exercise outside, treat yourself to some special cold weather workout gear. Working out in cooler weather can be invigorating, as long as you have the right clothes to stay comfortable.

4. Breathe

If you are a stress eater, consider an alternative to eating when you need a break. Just sitting silently with your eyes closed at any point during your day, or when you feel stressed, is very helpful for keeping yourself in balance. Remember, it doesn’t have to be for a long period of time: even just one minute of relaxing breaths in the midst of a busy holiday season goes a long way!

5. Don’t skip meals

Skipping meals often backfires. If you skip meals, you may overeat at the next meal, or let your hunger make bad food choices for you.

6. Learn How to Say “No, Thank You”

It’s hard to pass up goodies when they are offered. Not only are you turning down delicious foods, you may be worried that you are offending the host or hostess.

It’s okay to say no, but if you need a more creative way to say no, consider these:

1. Thank you, but I already ate.
2. That looks too good to eat!
3. Thanks, but I'm getting a jump start on my New Year's resolutions!
4. I worked out earlier, and I am trying to stay on track tonight.
5. I'm trying to pace myself, but thank you!

7. Get enough rest

When you skimp on sleep, your body works harder to stay awake, and may lead you to make poor food choices. You might reach for another cup of coffee or a sugary snack to give you some energy. Or you might skip a stop at the gym because you are too tired. A lack of sleep can sabotage your efforts.

8. Watch the liquid calories

Holiday cocktails and wine with friends all add up to a lot of empty calories.
For example:

•  One cup of eggnog – without liquor – has about 350 calories and 19 grams of fat.
•  One cup of champagne has about 182 calories.
•  One, 4-ounce serving of red wine has about 100 calories.

Of course, you can swap out healthier versions of classic favorites (light eggnog, for example), but alcohol can also loosen inhibitions, and lead to poor health choices. After a few drinks, you might be more likely to eat more, derailing your diet plans.

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How to Have Your Cake and Eat it Too – Holiday Edition

Lori M. Noble, MD

Lori M. Noble, MD, a primary care physician at Spruce Internal Medicine, located at the new Penn Medicine Washington Square building, offers tips on how to satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season - and do so in a healthy way.

Last year, I wrote a blog post proclaiming my addiction to all things sweet and shared some tips and tricks that have allowed me to satisfy my sweet tooth without breaking the sugar bank. Well, now the holidays are just around the corner and that can only mean one thing – delicious, decadent food will be all around us, just waiting to wreak havoc on healthy lifestyles everywhere (cue sinister laugh track)!

That may sound a little melodramatic, but the holidays are notoriously a time when people give up healthy eating habits because the temptation is just too great. So this year, I thought I would share some tips that will make it easier to prepare, and enjoy, all those savory and sweet holiday treats – without the guilt.

Call for a Substitute

Recipes often call for heavy, high-calorie ingredients. Most of the time, these can be substituted for much healthier options without sacrificing taste.

For instance, baked casseroles can sometimes call for as many as a half-dozen eggs. You can easily swap the eggs for egg whites (or egg substitute), which come prepackaged in affordable, easy-to-use cartons. This switch will help reduce the fat and cholesterol in many recipes.

Similarly, unsweetened apple sauce can be a replacement for oil in a one-to-one exchange in baked goods. Even that little tablespoon of oil has 120 calories. Those savings can really add up!

On the Side, Please

When preparing your next holiday feast, put all the extras on the side and allow your guests to put as much or as little as they’d like of each on their meal. That goes for dressing, sauces, gravy, extra cheese and any other condiment.

These can add many additional calories and we often don't even realize it. When food isn't smothered in these extras, each person has to be conscious about how much or how little to add and will often wind up using less.

Fruit Is Your Friend

Far be it from me to tell anyone not to indulge in a piece of pie at the end of a holiday meal. That would not be realistic. But, in order to help keep it to just one piece, load up the rest of the plate with a healthy fruit salad topped with low-fat whipped topping. Fruit is high in fiber and much lower in calories than the standard dessert. It helps keep you satisfied and is delicious – a true win-win situation.

Veggies Are Your Best Friend

I know I've made this recommendation before, but that's because it’s so crucial to healthy eating habits, so load up on the veggies! The fall and winter seasons are full of many delicious options – butternut squash, brussel sprouts, pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower…the list goes on.

Sprinkle your favorite with some salt, pepper and fresh herbs, drizzle with heart-healthy olive oil, and roast in a pan, the oven, or on the grill for a filling, healthy addition to your meal. Anytime you want to go back for seconds of other food items, I challenge you to eat more veggies first and then ask yourself, "Am I still hungry?" More often than not, the answer will be no.

Cut Out the Extra

Many recipes call for more of certain ingredients than are really necessary, with the biggest culprit being butter.

For example, my mom's sweet potato casserole is a must at our holiday dinners, but the recipe calls for almost two sticks of butter! I cut out over half of the recommended amount and no one could tell. Shhh! (If you're nervous about this, do a test batch using less of the selected ingredient so the recipe can be made without a hitch on the real day.)

This year, try some or all of these tips to make your holiday meal flavorful and filling without sacrificing your health.

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Caution! Holiday Eating Ahead

Lori M. Noble, MD, a primary care physician at Spruce Internal Medicine, located at the new Penn Medicine Washington Square building, discusses some healthy eating tips for the holiday season.

With the holiday season upon us, if you're anything like me, you just can't wait to get into the festive spirit by puting on that cozy, bulky sweater to keep warm. It also helps to camouflage those few extra holiday pounds the sweet potato casserole and stuffing are likely to leave behind.

But, have no fear; this season can still be enjoyed without needing to buy a new wardrobe when it's over. With a few simple tips and some pre-meal planning, you can still eat the foods you love without the fear of adding the "festive 15."

Keep Your Plate Green

This is actually a great tip for any meal, not just around the holidays! If you dedicate half of your plate to healthy veggies, you've already won half the battle. You can’t give in though. If you go back for seconds, remember the half-plate rule. Veggies are high in fiber, so they will keep you feeling fuller longer and help to prevent over-indulging on some of the less healthy options.

If you intend on bringing a dish to someone’s home, volunteer to bring roasted veggies or a big salad. This way, you know you will like the healthy option.

Don't Leave the House Hungry

One of the most common mistakes individuals make during the holidays is skipping breakfast in an attempt to "save up" calories for big meals. This tactic actually slows your metabolism to a halt. When you do eat, your body wants to hold onto every last calorie it can. Plus, when all that delicious food is put in front of an empty, growling stomach, it becomes an irresistible temptation to overeat. Be sure to eat a healthy, satisfying breakfast, such as oatmeal with a handful of dried fruits and nuts or egg whites with veggies and low-fat cheese.

Pick your "Poison"

We all have our "Achilles heels" when it comes to holiday meals - mine happens to be...well, anything on the dessert table. If you know what you're likely to over-indulge in, you can make a plan to keep yourself on track. For instance, if you're a sweets or carbohydrate-lover like me, you might avoid the "pre-dinner" snack foods and limit the stuffing and sweet potatoes at dinner to one serving each (~1/2 cup). This allows you to have that nice piece of pie for dessert without any guilt!

Keep the Food off the Table

This is a sneaky trick that I have used for years. If the food isn't kept on the table, grazing isn't nearly as easy. In order to get seconds, you have to make the conscious effort to get up from the table, get more food and maybe even heat it up if it's gotten cold. You'll be forced to ask yourself, "do I really want to get up from the table?" rather than just picking at whatever tasty treat is casually left in front of you.

Don’t Forget about Liquid Calories 

Holiday cocktails and wine with friends add up to a lot of empty calories. For example:

• One cup of eggnog – without added liquor – has about 350 calories and 19 grams of fat.
• One cup of champagne has about 182 calories.
• One, four-ounce serving of red wine has about 100 calories.

Try to stick to water or unsweetened tea. If you do choose to have “a drink”, stick to wine, low-carb beer or spirits.

So, enjoy your holidays. Just remember, a little preparation and a modest amount of self-control can go a long way. What better way to start the New Year than with a positive resolution.

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Managing Holiday Stress

Lauren Strohm, DO, a primary care physician at Penn Medicine Valley Forge, discusses healthy tips for managing stress during the holiday season.

As the brilliant colors of the fall foliage fade and the crisp winter air settles in, a flurry of activities begin and it is now time to prepare for the holidays.

The holiday tradition started as a period of time set aside for religious or cultural celebrations. Today, many of us have an unrealistic or overly romantic notion of what the holidays should be, and often aren’t.

To help, here are a few tips to rekindle the holiday spirit:

Planning

• Put together a list of what you expect from the holidays and be realistic with what can be accomplished.
• If you’re looking to take it easy over the holidays, consider a vacation or simply a ‘stay-cation.’ Take it easy and relax, refresh and re-energize.
• If family, friends and feasts are on your holiday horizon, prioritize commitments and schedule them on your calendar. Don’t forget to include time for rest and relaxation.
• Plan your travels – purchase tickets in advance and arrive early for departure.

Holiday Gatherings

• If you’re hosting a holiday party, divide up the menu and give guests an opportunity to prepare and “show off” one of their favorite dishes.
• Prepare in advance – I have a patient who bakes 20 pies the week before her holiday parties in preparation to give to friends and relatives.
• Those who break bread make bread together - Share in the peeling, dicing, chopping and cleanup in the kitchen. It is a great opportunity for everyone to catch up while preparing the meal.
• Purchase prepared menu items to reduce the amount of cooking and increase the amount of family time.
• Avoid overindulgence - have a healthy snack before your holiday parties, continue to exercise and get a good night’s sleep.

Gift Giving

• Set a budget. You will be surprised how creative you can be with a budget in place.
• Ask people what they want for the holidays. This eliminates the guesswork and holiday returns.
• Online shopping – Shop at your leisure. Last year, I did most of my shopping online while on the train to/from work!
• Get creative with gift-giving. During my medical training, I gave my brother and his wife a “gift certificate” redeemable for a weekend of babysitting my nieces and nephews.

Holiday Blues

• Surround yourself with family and friends if you’re feeling lonely and sad. Reminiscing about the past, the loss of loved ones or being away from home during this time of the year can be difficult.
• Volunteer – Helping others can help us better appreciate what we have.
• Despite your best efforts, if you find yourself feeling severely anxious, persistently sad or hopeless and these feelings are affecting your daily activities, please talk to your doctor.

The holidays are an exciting time celebrating with family and friends. With some planning and a positive attitude, it is possible to be jolly during this season and to find peace and joy as we celebrate.

Happy Holidays!

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