How to eat healthy during the holidays

With the holidays in full swing, making healthy eating choices can be difficult.

Just dining in a group can cause the average person to eat about 44 percent more calories.

But experts say there are ways to prepare and eat food that that will keep you slim this holiday season.

Natalie Lopez, 7, and her brother got an early Christmas gift this year - their mom made a life-saving decision to eat healthier.

"She has energy to play around with me in Christmas and Thanksgiving," Lopez said.

Circe Lopez lost 60 pounds but her old habits were hard to break, especially around the holidays.

"I used to not eat the whole entire day because I wanted to have my big Christmas meal," Lopez said.

Now, the holiday feast in the Lopez home looks a lot different.

"I changed it from pork shoulder to a pork tenderloin which is a leaner peace of pork," Lopez said.

Lopez's favorite holiday recipe:

1. First, sprinkle mineral salt and black pepper.

2. Add olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest, cilantro, minced garlic, lemon juice and Dijon mustard and mix.

3. Brown the meat and cook for 15-20 minutes.

4. For a side, try roasted sweet potatoes, winter squash and sliced carrots.

Nutrition experts say it's all about portion control.

"Serving size for a protein or a meat should be about the size of the palm of the hand," said Sarah Kirchner, MS, a health educator at Nemours Children's Hospital. "The starchy foods and the grains should be about the size of one cupped hand."

Some other healthy holiday tips: be last in the buffet line - you'll probably fill your plate with less.

Wear tight-fitting clothes - you'll be more likely to feel discomfort when you're full. Chew gum after a big meal, as it will help you avoid going back for more. And never show up to a holiday dinner starving.

"Make sure that you are eating regular balanced meals throughout the rest of the day," Kirchner said.

Nutrition experts also say you can substitute out sugar for spices like nutmeg or cinnamon, and heavy cream for low fat milk.

Also, be careful about consuming too many sugary, high-calorie drinks.

Too many alcoholic drinks may also cause you to let your guard down and eat more.