This is mainly due to the high calorie, high fat foods that traditionally go along with holiday meals.
With Thanksgiving coming up, making healthy and smart choices can be challenging. The typical Thanksgiving meal can contain 1300 calories or more, plus more than 35 grams of fat. For some people, that amount totals what a daily calorie and fat intake should be. Jenny Maloney, a Registered Dietitian at the Galter LifeCenter (galterlifecenter.org) , says portion control is the most important factor when you are dealing with the holidays or any other event that revolves around heavy food. Maloney suggests, when you are at home, try to measure out your food using measuring cups, tablespoons/teaspoons and a scale. When you are out, or at a friend's or family's home, use real life objects to estimate your servings.
- Here are some tips for this holiday season and any other special occasion:
- Look at all your options before making your final food choices; make sure all the calories you consume are worth it.
- Grab a small plate or even a napkin to prevent you from overeating
- Always put veggies on your plate if it's an option
- Eat a portion controlled plate; you can always go back for seconds if you are still hungry
- Eat slow
- Don't starve yourself the day of the event; eat healthy throughout the day so you don't make bad choices
- Watch the alcohol consumption; 1 glass of wine or 1 beer can add an extra 120-150 calories to your total calorie intake for the day
- Exercise on the day of the event so you burn some extra calories
