The Holidays and Your Waistline

Normally my articles are just informational, explanations of TCM and Food as Medicine.  But, as promised, to make up for my lack of posting last week, I am writing down some holiday food advice for this upcoming week of Food Frenzy that we know as Christmas and New Years. 

Yes, the holidays are a joyous time, where people open up their hearts, hearths and homes to friends and loved ones.  For many it is a time of constant tantalizing because of the sweet and savory treats that are created with love and brought to share.  How does someone who is trying to watch their figure ever survive this time of year?

As you probably know, it’s not easy.  But I’m going to give you my simple tricks to getting everything you want and not busting your belt line.  The goal here is not to lose weight during the holidays, but actually to keep from gaining any.

You all know generally what is good for you and what is bad for you, I know that I don’t have to tell you that a fresh green salad is much better for your calorie budget than that piece of pumpkin pie.  But when there is so much in front of you that makes your mouth water, of course you want to eat everything in sight.  

The trick is PORTIONS.  I call it Eating Proportionally.

• The very first plate you eat should be a large helping of green leafy salad (if it has cucumbers, carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes or other such things, consider it a bonus!) with a small amount (a tablespoon!) of dressing, topped with a two good-sized slices of turkey or other lean meat that has been prepared for dinner.  Fresh vegetables and good lean protein will help fill you up, and keep you feeling full longer.  Also, salad forces you to chew your food longer, slowing down the eating process, allowing your stomach to send out the message to the brain that you are feeding yourself a lot sooner than when eating other foods.  Want to eat even less calories?  Instead of salad dressing, use a couple of lemon wedges and squeeze the juice over the greens, then add a little salt and pepper for a light, vibrant flavor that really gives you a kick!  Lemon juice is by far my favorite salad dressing.
• Of course you want to sample your favorite Aunt’s sweet potato casserole with the browned marshmallows on top.  I know they put a big ladle-sized serving spoon in the dish, but who says you have to use a trowel to serve yourself?  Plastic spoons make great serving implements.  Take a few with you to your festive gatherings just for this purpose.  A plastic spoon full of stuffing, a spoon of homemade cranberry sauce, a spoon of green beans dripping with ham hock fat and butter, and soon your plate is full of all of these little tastes of heaven.  You have just enough to satisfy your food cravings and still feel really good about yourself; you’re not sitting on the couch groaning and unbuttoning your top button to make room for your still-expanding belly while you slip into a sugar nap. 
• Watch the sugary alcoholic drinks.  Depending on the recipe, a typical margarita has 600-1,000 calories, a mojito has about 500.  Stick to water, sparkling water, iced tea, black coffee (decaffeinated towards the evening!) and other non-sugar drinks.  For the occasional holiday cocktail, try a hot toddy or a small glass of red or white wine.

My final piece of advice: After eating, go for a walk, or if the weather is cramping your style, play a game like Charades, or a game on the Nintendo Wii or the Xbox Kinect that gets you up and moving.  Either way, you’ll have fun, and your body will be burning calories while you frolic, laugh and enjoy yourselves.

So, those are my favorite tricks for getting through your holiday without having to buy a new larger-sized wardrobe come the new year.  I have quite a few more, however, I think these will suffice for most general situations, and I'm happy to share them with you.

I enjoy this time of year so very much, especially here in Florida where we have the benefit of sunshine, mild temperatures, and statues of pink flamingoes wearing Santa hats. 

Happy Holidays to you and yours; the best of health to one and all!

--Marissa Byrum, AP, DOM, Dipl. Ac., is an associate at Ideal Balance Center for Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine in Temple Terrace, FL.