Avoiding Holiday Weight Gain

I had not one but two delicious, fabulous, mouth-watering Thanksgiving Day feasts.  Turkey, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, oh my!  And this is just the beginning.  As I look at the calendar, the next four weeks are full of holiday parties, dinners out, family gatherings, and other events that will be teeming with scrumptious spreads.  It’s no wonder that so many Americans struggle with weight gain over the holidays.

Despite the temptations that surround us, there are strategies we can implement to prevent weight gain while enjoying the festivities:

• Eat a healthy breakfast. Be sure to start your day off with a nutritious breakfast—preferably one that includes protein and whole grains (such as peanut butter on whole wheat toast) as well as some fruit and dairy.  Be sure to eat healthy snacks throughout the day.  The last thing you want to do is arrive at a party feeling famished and then eat everything in sight.

• Carefully select food choices.  Think about what you want to “spend” your calories on.  Skip the “ho-hum” dishes and enjoy your favorites, considering which ones are healthier and keeping portion sizes in mind.  You may opt to skip gravy and other high-calorie condiments.  Remember that old habits die hard.  Are you truly hungry enough for seconds, or are you heading back for more just because that’s what you usually do?

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