Friday, November 30, 2007 12:11 AM CST
Battle of the bulge: Holiday eating doesn't have to lead to a Santa-sized waistline
By AMBER WILLIAMS, Staff writer
awilliams@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON — ‘Tis the season for overflowing plates and growing waistlines.
The stretch of time between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can mean office parties and family meals filled with fattening extras.
The average American will add on a pound and a half of extra weight during the holiday season, but with a little restraint and planning, it doesn’t have to be that way, said James Painter, chair of the Family and Consumer Sciences department at Eastern Illinois University.
Probably the biggest vice people indulge in over the holidays isn’t the type of foods they eat, but rather the portions, he said.
“The problem with holiday eating is there is no point to stop,” Painter said.
The availability of food increases with the holidays as does the temptation to graze the buffet table.
Americans live in a culture where snack foods sit out all day while the holidays are celebrated and they are encouraged to eat more and more, Painter said.
This is where people can change their actions and their mindsets on holiday eating.
Using smaller plates and bowls can help people eat less, as does eating slowly and enjoying one’s food so the brain has time to process how full the person is.
Another trick to keeping portions in mind is writing down everything you eat in a day, Painter said.
Before a piece of food goes into a person’s mouth, it has to be written down. This gives people a chance to see how much food they have eaten in a day and reflect on whether they really need more.
A health-conscious family can do it together before a holiday meal.
Another way to maintain weight over the holidays is to develop a family outing that promotes some exercise, like bowling, Painter said.
Even getting out and going shopping burns calories, and it is something family members can do together.
“There is no reason why you have to stay in,” Painter said.
On Wednesday, Eastern faculty and staff were invited to a healthy holiday eating workshop, where they saw and sampled healthy holiday recipes, cooked by the Family and Consumer Sciences hospitality catering class.
Painter and nutrition education coordinator Dawn Wilcox offered participants examples of healthy ingredients that can be used in holiday recipes.
Red grapes are a food that is high in antioxidants, so grape juice or red wine can be used to get those antioxidants during the holidays or the grapes can be eaten with a light fruit dip, Painter said.
Spinach is a great vegetable to be included with any meal, and existing spinach dips can be modified with lower fat ingredients for a healthy snack.
Oatmeal is a good source of fiber and can be used to make holiday cookies.
Adding on an extra pound and a half during the holidays is not that big of a deal as long as a person is getting exercise to work it back off.
“The holidays are not a time to forget physical activity,” Wilcox said.
Amber Williams can be contacted at awilliams@jg-tc.com or 238-6858.
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