Healthy holiday eating

For far too many of us, the holidays are a time of excess. We spend too much money, we drink too much eggnog and, of course, we eat too much. While an occasional overindulgence — an extra helping of Aunt Deirdre’s pumpkin pie, for instance — probably won’t do you any lasting harm, a pattern of poor holiday eating can have a cumulatively deleterious effect.

The problem isn’t that people pack on a pound or two over the holidays; it’s that they don’t shed that pound or two during the rest of the year. And while one pound in one year is hardly a disaster, 15 pounds in in 15 years is a lot more serious.

To help combat the slow and steady expansion of our waistlines, we recruited Patti Morris, fitness director at Synergy Fitness Clubs in Baldwin, to help produce a Herald list of healthy holiday eating tips. Read on to arm yourself against a mounting mountain of goodies.

Don’t go hungry

No, this isn’t an invitation to stuff yourself. It merely means that you should eat before you hit your office shindig or your neighbor’s annual New Year’s bash. People tend to eat faster and make poorer choices when they’re hungry. By having a wholesome breakfast, or some yogurt and a piece of whole grain toast before you hit the town, you’ll decrease your chances of overeating.

“Eating your veggies first is a great way to fill yourself without loading up on calories,” says Morris, who also suggests that holiday diners drink plenty of water. “Drinking water or diet drinks is a good way to watch your weight as well,” she says. “People often don’t consider the fact the wine and other alcoholic drinks are very high-calorie foods.”

Portion control

Eating lots of different things is fine as long as you’re prudent about portions. By all means, treat yourself to some pie or a homemade bonbon, but watch your portion sizes so you don’t overdo it. The holidays are a time when we’re presented with more options, more things to sample, which is great, but remember: If you only eat a small portion of yams, you can have a slice of ham without fear. Moderation is crucial.

Get physical