Don't
fret about overeating
during the holidays.
Worrying too much may push
you to overindulge. So
relax and keep moderation
in mind.
You
may think that the average
American gains five pounds
during the holidays, but
Joy Short, the director of
nutrition and dietetics at
Saint Louis University in
Missouri, notes that this
popular notion is an
exaggeration. "Most
people, if they gain
anything, pick up one-half
to two pounds," she
says. Still, a pound every
year can add up.
Short
offers tips for the
diet-minded—which may
help you stick with
healthy foods in
moderation:
- Think
color when putting
food on your plate.
The white
plate—turkey,
stuffing, mashed
potatoes gravy and a
roll—should be
counterbalanced with
colorful and more
nutritionally valuable
fruits and vegetables.
- Some
"bad" foods
are better than
others. While pecan
nuts have been linked
with a reduced risk of
type 2 diabetes, pecan
pie is loaded with
calories. However,
apple pie has less
sugar and calories,
and is also a good
source of
beta-carotene.
- Hard
cheeses have less fat
than soft cheeses.
Picking the most
flavorful ones, notes
Short, is a good way
to eat smaller
portions. Also, it's
better to choose
multigrain crackers
over buttery ones.
- If
you drink, alternate
with water;
dehydration causes
hangovers. Skip the
eggnog, since it's
high in saturated fat.
Stick with red wine
and dark beer, which
have antioxidants that
may help fight cancer
and heart disease.
- Go
for fewer
toppings—be it
gravy, dressing or
sour cream—and dish
up smaller portions.
"After all,"
says Short, "the
first bite of an
indulgent food tastes
like the last. You
don't really need a
huge amount to satisfy
your craving."
"When
you obsess about what to
eat at a holiday
gathering, you get into
that all-or-nothing
mentality," says
Short. "Then you
overindulge and that leads
to self-defeat."
Article
Courtesy of www.psychologytoday.com
