Holiday Survival Guide: Eating Healthy Amid The Festivities
As exciting as the holiday season is, there are many factors that can cause stress for those hoping to lose weight or maintain healthy eating habits. As a LAP-BAND patient, you need to practice the same healthy eating during the holiday season that you’ve included in your daily routine. However, you don’t need to deprive yourself during this special time of year. Instead, you should make a focused plan and take steps to avoid dangerous overeating during the festivities. Here is a handy survival guide to help you navigate the holidays in a healthy way and stay on track with your weight loss goals.
Eat healthy before the party begins
As many holiday events include large amounts of food, you should prepare yourself to be amongst a buffet atmosphere before leaving home. If you know the party or gathering you will be attending will feature plenty of unhealthy food, try to eat a healthy meal beforehand to help curb your appetite. Most importantly, don’t starve yourself in anticipation of holiday meals. Filling up on holiday treats can not only distract you from your weight loss goals, but leave behind some serious discomfort.
Control your portions
At parties and family gatherings, food is often present in buffet form. Hence, during such events, you should try to use a smaller plate and allow yourself only a single trip to the food table. Regardless of what is being served, try to eat as you would at home and remain committed to your personal portion sizes.
It’s also good to eat as slowly as possible so that your body registers the food and the subsequent satisfaction that comes with it. Some people ever recall a time they overate and felt poorly afterwards in an attempt to curb the temptation to eat beyond what you need.
Find healthy recipes
If you will be cooking for yourself or others, try to locate some healthy recipes for your favorite holiday dishes. Try to avoid cooking with fatty products such as butter and heavy cream. If you have a favorite recipe that incorporates meat or vegetables fried in oil, consider baking the dish or altering the recipe to incorporate fresh ingredients. If you are still having trouble uncovering alternative recipes, consult the support staff at your outpatient bariatric center for healthy suggestions.
Be careful with alcohol
As many of the holiday season’s favorite alcoholic drinks are loaded with empty calories, try to keep alcohol consumption to a minimum. If you want to enjoy an alcoholic drink, sip on a single glass of red wine. During parties, you should also try to drink plenty of water. If you want to fit in with those around you, drink your water in a cocktail glass, garnish it like your favorite libation and savor your little secret.
Spend your time with family and friends – not food
One activity to avoid during the holiday season is socializing near a buffet table or any type of communal food. When talking with friends and family in front of such culinary displays, it is often second nature to snack while you socialize. Instead, after you have had your modest fill, spend your time away from the food and focus on having a good time with your loved ones. Above all, try to remember that the holidays are a time to spend with family and while food is often part of the celebration, it shouldn’t be the focal point.
Enjoy your favorite holiday treats – in moderation
Though the guidelines mentioned here might seem stringent, you should still try to experience your favorite treats during the holiday season. Just because LAP-BAND patients are required to practice moderation everyday, it doesn’t mean that particular foods need to be avoided altogether. It is OK to have a few bites of pumpkin pie or cheesecake, or even enjoy a small serving of eggnog. However, to prevent yourself from overdoing it, you should try to use small cups and plates or simply share your treats with friends. Remember that the first few bites really do taste the best, so let all those extra calories head towards your friend’s thighs not yours.
As you try to balance your healthy lifestyle with the excess of the holidays, try to be assertive and maintain your eating habits as best you can. Remember that you don’t need to accept every treat that is offered to you; if you politely decline large servings of troublesome foods, your family and friends will be understanding and supportive. Consider your healthy lifestyle and the long term opportunities offered by the LAP-BAND to be a gift to yourself and ring in the New Year – healthy and happy.
June 20th, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Grill and bake your fish and chicken.
Eat vegetables.
Eat fruit.
Eat whole grain breads.
Drink plenty of liquids.
Rule of thinmb. If it grazes and does not grow out of the ground do not eat it.
When you eat eat in small portions three meals a day with snacks in between. Not: you should be eating every three hours.
You will be surprised at what it makes your metabolism do!
June 20th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
First you have to be committed to what you are going to do like that chart idea you suggested. Make sure that you read the nutrition label and get proper serving sizes to make graphing easier i.e. a handful, half a bowl, and things like that. Meaning if you eat something eat a full serving size of it to be more precise. To keep away pounds eat only 70 grams of fat and about 3000 calories a day. That will ensure no more weight gain. The carbs provide energy ,but too many carbs can contribute to weight gain. So eat only 3 slices of bread the whole day. As for the rewards it's good to reward yourself when you accomplish your goal. If you can't meet your goal and you did your best than just stay home and plan what you will eat for tomorrow. Don't think about not eating food for any amount of days because we need at least 1000 calories a day to maintain your energy levels. Plus do it too many days and you'll get malnutrition. So, make a chart of what you eat, get precise portions, don't go over 70 grams of fat and 3000 calories, and last but not least if you over eat don't feel bad just plan what you will eat tomorrow, and if you under eat just eat anything that won't go over the limit too much or not at all preferably. This is what I think u should do for your problem.
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:01 am
I use a simple rule, the closer you stick to raw, natural foods (like veggies, nuts, whole grains, and fruits), the healthier you will be. This simple plan has worked so well, I lost 50 pounds and no longer have to take diabetes medication. More here:
http://www.drfuhrman.com/