Eat Healthy Over the Holidays

Eating healthy over the holidays can be challenging. You sit there looking at all the food trying to pick the healthiest options and skipping over your favorites. Then you end up eating the unhealthy food anyways. By the end of it you feel so guilty that you cheated on your diet.

I am here to tell you to just DON'T DO IT! DON'T worry about your diet. DON'T make yourself feel guilty. DO eat what you want, but eat smart. Get smaller portions than you normally would. DO eat your food slowly. Enjoy the way it tastes. Eating slowly also has the added benefit of giving your stomach more time to let your head know that you are full so you do not over eat. Before eating the main course of food have a broth-based soup. This will help fill you up without all the calories.

Tips While Cooking

Gravy- Make in advance then refrigerate it. Then you can skim the fat off the top and reheat and serve.

Stuffing- Reduce the amount of bread and add in more veggies. Use broth, apple sauce, or pumpkin puree to replace butter

Vegetables- Instead of using butter coat them in broth with herbs. You can even add a little marmalade to make them shine and just a bit sweeter (great for carrots).

Squash- Sweeten it with apple juice concentrate, fruit preserves, or maple syrup.

 

Baking- For some recipes like pumpkin bread substitute sugar with applesauce this make a moister cake with less sugar. (Will be posting a recipe soon.)

Mashed Potatoes- Use chicken broth to replace the milk.

Turkey- Taking the skin off before eating saves lots of calories.

Remember DO NOT STRESS about eating over the holidays. It takes 500 extra calories a day for a whole week to gain one pound. So if you splurge a little one day that is okay, just be sure to get back on track the next day.

These are just a few of the things you can do to help make your Holiday a healthier one. Over the next few weeks I will be trying out and creating healthier options for classic holiday dishes and some new dishes to add to your holiday feast. I will post my family's favorites here.