How To Eat Good And Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

It is so hard to maintain your weight during the holiday season. So many good foods in your face, just looking at them you've already imagine gaining the weight before you even sit at the table. The holidays is traditionally about the meals, but most importantly it is about the gathering of family and friends.

Most holiday meals are about 3,000 to 4,000 calories according to  dietitian Cathy Held of Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond and Dyer. Ms Held has been contributing nutritional help since 1985. To bur off 3,000 or more calories you would have to walk 35 miles.

How to avoid the weight gain:

Focus on portions. When gazing at all of that good homemade food, it's easy to pile onto the plate. Then once you've consumed it there's a feeling of regret. To prevent the guilt of over indulging, get a smaller plate.

Cooking for the better. When preparing your meals you can substitute ingredients for low-calorie to low-fat ingredients without interfering with the taste. Some foods you don't have to cook with butter, like saute onions in butter. Chop them up and throw in microwave, they will soften.

Also read: Chocolate Lovers Dream It Can Impact Workout Routine

Think and know. Reducing your fat intake can dramatically change your weight. For every tablespoon of fat you can eliminate you get rid of 100 calories.

Turkey and gravy or spiral ham? Meats are nutritional, turkey is one of them. Turkey has 120 calories in three ounce and 5 grams of fat and ham has 140 calories and a little bit higher in fat. Darker meat has just as much nutritional value as chicken breast. It's the skin that should be avoided because it is where mostly the fat and calories are.

Green bean casserole or creamed corn? Green bean casserole is only 100 calories and five grams of fat. Creamed corn is double that. You can create a green bean casserole with a low-fat soup and use less onions crisps on top.

Mashed potatoes or stuffing? Mashed potatoes has fewer calories. The stuffing in the turkey absorbs all of the fat in the cavity of it, which makes the stuffing really fattening.

Pecan pie or pumpkin pie? Of course pumpkin is always a better choice. It has 230 calories. Pecan pie is loaded with sugar and fat, a slice is 700 calories. If you love pecan pie, eat smaller slices and try to avoid the whipped cream that will only make it worse.