The holiday season is rolling around and with that comes the notorious overeating at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. Although it may seem impossible, eating healthy at these dinners can happen. It’s important that you do eat healthy during holiday dinners to help your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Just keep your goal of eating healthy fresh in your mind and avoid the worst foods of Thanksgiving.
Helpful tips
Not sure if you can focus on your goal at dinner? Here are some tips to keep you healthy.
- Don’t pig out on starter dishes. Most families put out candy or dips as appetizers before serving the turkey or ham. Just wait for the main course and enjoy time with your family instead of the unhealthy snacks.
- Don’t sit near the candy dish. Why would you put yourself through that agony? Just sit near close friends, good tunes, and a warm fire. You’ll be much happier.
- Bring a dish with you. If you find out that one of your favorite dishes is unhealthy, bring your own version. For example, if you love sweet potato casserole but know it’s really unhealthy when your mother makes it, bring your own. You can choose to use less butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows to cut some unnecessary calories out of your meal. Here is a list of the food you should avoid.
- Fill your plate with a variety of food. Fill your plate half full of vegetables, one-quarter white turkey meat (It has fewer calories than dark meat), and the remaining quarter with a healthy carb such as roasted sweet potatoes, a baked potato, or a corn on the cob.
- Savor every bite of the food. Eat slowly and savor each mouthful. This allows you to enjoy your holiday dinner without going overboard on calories.
- Say ‘no’ to the food you don’t want. Some people think it’s rude to deny any of the host’s food, that it insults them. Just play it down. Just say, “No thanks, I’m full,” or “Maybe later”. Then, sit back and enjoy the rest of the dinner.
With these tips, you can stay healthy while also keeping your family and friends healthy as they eat too. For more information on eating healthy or best diets during the holiday season, contact Westland Clinic at 734.728.2130 today, we will help you to reach your goals.
