Tag Archive for: holiday eating

Are You Ready for Thanksgiving?

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Paula and I would like to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving (or if you’re not in the U.S., happy Thursday!) It’s been our pleasure to serve you this year, and we’re thankful for your support.

One of the questions that comes up year after year is how to deal with eating during the holidays. I’ve got you covered with Memo Classics from 2019. Just click on the links for a refresher on strategies to use this holiday season to keep your weight under control:

            Should You Have a Strict Holiday Eating Strategy?

            Is a Relaxed Holiday Eating Plan Better?

            Holiday Eating: The Best Solution So Far

A longer, more detailed look at holiday eating begins with this Memo:

            Holiday Eating: Abstain

Paula and I have finally lost a few pounds by changing what we eat, and we don’t want to discover them again this weekend. I believe these ideas will help you do the same.

We’re taking the rest of the week off to enjoy time with family; see you next Tuesday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Holiday Eating: Your Strategies

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As we finish two weeks on planning for holiday eating, I’m turning it over to you, the men and women who read the Memo. There are excellent points in every approach.

This one encompasses just about every strategy and was the first response:

  • Lose weight before the holidays. Be conservative on helpings starting with Thanksgiving. Allow some small portion of goodies or dessert, trying to eat it after protein consumption and while still somewhat full. Try to exercise more—this is more difficult due to the holiday schedule of activities. Stand up every 30 minutes if you . . .

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Holiday Eating: Just Eat

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The final strategy of dealing with holiday eating is to just dig in and enjoy every morsel. Christmas holiday foods are generally around during a very limited time. Most of us don’t have one holiday party after another, day in and day out, so just eat. Eat what you like and don’t give it a second thought. It’s just around for awhile and then it’s gone until the next year.

The important aspect is what comes next: reestablishing control. Eat a slimmed down healthy diet for several days to balance your holiday eating exuberance.

There are . . .

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Holiday Eating: Preload

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The fourth strategy of dealing with holiday eating is to preload. The idea is to eat some things that are healthy or at least healthier. In that way, you will be partially full and not as prone to overeat. There are two ways to do this.

The first is to eat a salad with a variety of greens: lettuces, kale, spinach, asparagus. Tomatoes are fine as well as cucumbers. Just skip the cheese and protein and use a minimal amount of dressing. Add a soft drink, coffee, tea, or water to fill even more space. If you occupy space with . . .

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Holiday Eating: Modify Your Recipes

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The third way of dealing with holiday eating is to modify the recipe—that is, if you’re doing the cooking. This approach can be tricky, especially if you’re baking, and you may want to do a trial run. In some recipes, it’s the chemical reactions between the nutrients that contribute to taste and texture. Simply trying to lower the fat content of a recipe or changing to an artificial sweetener such as stevia may not get the results you want. The sweetness of stevia may be altered by cooking or baking; less fat can change the texture . . .

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Holiday Eating: Portion Control

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The second way to deal with the onslaught of special foods during the holidays is to limit your portions. My diet philosophy has been that you can eat whatever you want as long as you control the amount and the frequency. Throw low-carb or low-fat out the window; if you can control the amount you eat, there are no holiday foods that are off limits.

That begs the question: can you control the portion? I make peanut brittle every Christmas. I have never done drugs, so I don’t know how accurate it is to say this, but . . .

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Holiday Eating: Abstain

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The days of holiday cookies, candy, and other luscious desserts have arrived. It’s a month-long battle to limit the damage. But it’s not just the sweets; stuffing, gravy, marshmallow-covered candied yams, and many more all show up this time of year. Holiday parties from work, church, and other organizations range from simple pitch-ins to full-course meals. How do we deal with this onslaught of culinary delights?

I can think of at least four strategies we can use; there are probably more so I’m asking you to email me your strategies for holiday eating . . .

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