Gelson's - Our Services

DECEMBER 2005
IN THIS ISSUE:
       Happy Holidays - Now Don't Gain Weight!
       Healthy Holiday Finger Foods
   FOOD OF THE MONTH
       Tea
   RESEARCH UPDATE
       Say Soy
   RECIPE MAKEOVER
       Potato Latkes
   RECIPES
       Hot Cocoa Tea
       Tea-Poached Black Cod
       Fresh Lobster with Rice Noodles
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Happy Holidays - Now Don't Gain Weight!

top! Put the cookie down and back away from the table. Anything you eat or drink this season can and will be stored on your hips.

Just kidding. I'm not the food police; just your friendly dietitian here to gently encourage you to celebrate thoughtfully and cautiously this month. You've made it through Halloween by being selective about your treat choices and you ate leftover Thanksgiving turkey for days without gaining weight, so why let your good habits go by the wayside now?

I know I say this every year at this time, but it still remains true: Do not expect to lose weight during November and December. The best we should hope for is to maintain our pre-holiday weight until January 1. Some people say that maintaining weight is harder than actually losing it so you'll probably have to make a little effort this month, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun!

It's best to develop a plan before you go into the holiday eating season; that way celebrations can be stress-free and delicious. Here are some of my strategic suggestions for maintaining your weight and health during the final stretch of the holidays:

Turn off the tube-or rather, don't turn it on in the first place.

Time spent sitting and watching television is time not spent being active. Perhaps you have a habit of munching mindlessly while you watch, too? Well that habit has to go. Studies show that as the number of hours of television watched increase, so does weight. Also, the more television that adults and children watch, the more they tend to weigh, so get up off the couch and do something else.

Eat breakfast every day.

Skipping meals is the kiss of death for people trying to lose weight - breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It sets the tone for your blood sugar and appetite and influences the healthfulness of your food choices for the meals that follow. Therefore, stock up on Kashi Go Lean Crunch! and nonfat organic milk and make sure you eat this satisfying and balanced breakfast each morning.

Eat as closely to your normal healthy eating pattern as possible.

Your usual healthy eating routine should be well-balanced, satisfying and heavy on the vegetables and fruit. If you stick to it as closely as possible, you shouldn't feel the need to eat with abandon when you're at the holiday dining table.

Never arrive at a party starving.

Try to have a healthy snack before you leave for the party. Otherwise, extreme hunger could force you to throw your healthy strategies out the window and drive you to eat every morsel of food in sight, regardless of how unhealthy it is.

If the first bite is not delicious, don't take another one.

That's a novel idea to apply to holiday treats. I think we automatically assume that any cookie will taste good just because it's a cookie. Let me tell you, there are a lot of bad-tasting cookies out there and they're not worth the calories. So, if an indulgence doesn't taste as good as you think it should, put it down and move on.

If you're at a buffet meal, strictly enforce the "one plate rule."

Basically, you're only allowed to eat as much as you can fit on one plate and you can't go back for seconds. If you're not sure what's good, don't be the first in line. Wait a little bit, survey the spread, ask someone who's already started eating what's good, and then grab a plate.

Practice portion control when filling your plate.

The more food that is in front of you, the more you will eat. Research studies have proved this over and over again. What we don't know is whether awareness of this fact will help you eat less of a large portion. Why not conduct a little experiment on yourself when you're faced with a huge table full of food?

Drink water most of the time.

Water has no calories and it helps you eat less. When you're at a party, be sure to have a glass of sparkling or flat water in your hand from the very beginning-how much can you eat if you only have one free hand? You can have a glass of alcohol, but set your limit before you start drinking. Avoid sodas, high-calorie mixed drinks, and other caloric beverages.

Develop a plan to deal with stress before it hits.

The holidays are stressful and emotional. Running to the freezer for a pint of ice cream will not relieve any stress and it will make you feel worse in the long run. Try deep breathing or a short power walk to help you regroup and organize your thoughts when the stress hits.

Make time for physical activity.

The days are shorter now, and there weren't enough hours in the day before it started getting dark at 5 p.m. What to do? Get up a few minutes earlier and go for a brisk walk or do an exercise video at home. If you get your activity out of the way first thing in the morning, you won't have to make excuses in order to avoid it later in the day. Physical activity helps burn off extra calories and it helps relieve stress, especially of the holiday nature. So what are you waiting for?

Keep track of what you eat.

This really is no fun but it's proven to work. Carry a small food journal or even a scrap of paper with you and record everything you eat, including quantities. Yes, you'll have to own your behavior-and that's why food journaling works!

Remember that veggies are your friend!

If you're preparing a holiday dinner, make sure there are lots of vegetable dishes to choose from. If you're a guest at a dinner, try to bring a salad or vegetable dish that you know is light and healthy. Nothing is lower in calories or more nutrient-dense than vegetables, so try to fill up on them to help you eat less of the high-calorie stuff.

Right now, your goal should be to maintain what you've achieved. Be proactive now to prevent regret later on. If you go into the season with a plan, you should feel strong and prepared, not deprived. Whatever you do, remember to have fun and connect with people. This month you'll probably find yourself in a situation where you can't employ any of your carefully planned strategies. When that happens, employ the strategy of moderation. Eat what you like, but eat it in moderation-and enjoy every bite!

The nutrition recommendations found in our newsletters are general in nature and are not tailored to specific health problems. Talk to your physician or other qualified health care practitioner concerning particular health issues or before beginning any nutritional program.