Holiday Eating

1. Holiday Eating Celebrate your health while you celebrate the holidays Monica Smith, MA, RD

2. Developed by Nutrisense Inc.Amy Shapiro R.D., C.D.N. Adapted by Monica Smith, MA. RD

3. This material was funded in part by USDA's SNAP-ed Program. The SNAP Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, call1-800-481-4989 MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer.

4. The word feast, derived from the word festus, means joy

5. Easter Passover Mother’s Day Father’s Day Memorial Day July Fourth Labor Day Halloween Oktoberfest Cinco de Mayo Kwanzaa Christmas Hannukah New Year Chinese New Year St. Patrick’s Day Thanksgiving Valentine’s Day Super Bowl Sunday Mardi Gras 1.5 chances to feast every month…

6. Not counting birthdays, anniversaries, graduations weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs and many more..

7. How do special occasions affect your food choices?

8. Who has eaten something over the holidays just to please someone else? Maybe you didn’t even like it. Maybe even dreaded it?

9. Hors d’hoeuvres Buffets Restaurants with limited menus Guest in someone’s home Several invitations in one week or weekend Grandchildren visiting Office parties Alcohol Feeling left out or different Desserts, desserts, desserts Less time, more shopping, wrapping, cooking, baking Look Familiar?Feel Overwhelmed?

10. Possible Steps To Take To Feel Less Overwhelmed, Less Guilty and More Festive

11. Plan Ahead • Mark the events on a calendar it’s okay to say no to an invitation or attend after the “dinner hour” • Do not skip meals in preparation for a holiday meal or celebration, a snack before you leave the house is wise • Attending a party hungry leads to poor food choices and overeating • Balance the larger, higher calorie meal to come with lighter, lower fat choices the remainder of the day. • Focus on 5 fruits and veggies…

12. A “Balanced” Day • Water throughout the day – thirst is often confused with hunger….avoid caloric beverages • Breakfast – Fruit, low fat yogurt, whole grain toast • Snack – Fruit • Lunch – Vegetable soup; ½ of a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, pickle, lite mayo. Low fat milk • Snack – Large salad, lite dressing • Dinner….your choice in moderation – you’ve eaten ~ 730 healthy calories all day. You have some wiggle room

13. For Dinner Avoid Deprivation. Eat What You Like, What You Really Want, In Moderation. Balance can look like it is okay to pass on the mashed potatoes (not special) to have the stuffing (special).

14. You Can Always Take Some of Aunt Eloise's Asparagus Casserole Home for Lunch Tomorrow. Avoid Eating When You Aren’t Hungry.

15. Make Sure You Know When You Are Hungry..

16. What Does Hungry Feel Like? • Stomach growls • Grumpy • Headachy • Shaky • It is has been 4 or five hours since you last ate. • Hunger starts small and grows in intensity • Hunger isn’t very picky • When hunger doesn’t get fed, there are more physical symptoms, but little emotional feedback • Feeding hunger takes care of the symptoms

17. What Does Craving Feel Like? • No physical cues • Very demanding, picky. Wants certain foods or else • Comes on strong right from the start • Might even feel anxious • If craving doesn’t get it’s way, emotions run high • Feeding craving can often increase the craving…the more you eat, the more you want!

18. Ask the question…Am I hungry?Feed hunger, distract craving.

19. Attend to Hunger/Satiety Cues • Start with small portions, eat slowly and savor every bite • Try not to eat, talk, dance, chase children, exchange gifts…..while you are eating. Overeating is almost inevitable if you aren’t paying attention. • Listen to your body and pay attention to the cues that you are satisfied • Avoid eating until you are full. Eat until you aren’t hungry – this is really different.

20. Hors D’oeuvres and Appetizers • Appetizers and hors d’oeuvres are usually laden with fat, sugar and lots of calories • Opportunity for mindless eating • Resolve ahead to limit your choices to a specific kind or amount – 1 small plate? • Choose special foods – leave the spinach dip if you eat it all year whenever you want it! • Socialize and circulate the room to keep away from the food and minimize temptation

21. Be Sensible • When you look at a wide array of food, make conscious choices • Remind yourself that you don’t have to eat everything to enjoy yourself • Don’t eat foods that are available at other times • Concentrate on your favorites and those foods that are holiday specific

22. Minimize Alcohol and Caloric Beverage Intake • Keep in mind that besides the calories, alcohol can enhance effects of other medications • Do not drink alcohol on an empty stomach • If you do drink alcohol, eat something with carbohydrates • Many punches, sodas and eggnogs can have as many calories as a piece of chocolate cake… • Drink diet soda or seltzer in between alcoholic drinks or in place of caloric beverages to reduce calories

23. Exercise • Schedule exercise during holidays • Plan activities as part of your holiday celebrations • Decreases holiday stresses with movement, not food! • Can be fun! Dance more, play more, build snow people, go sledding, try snow shoeing or skiing. Just move!

24. Distract • Don’t allow food to be the center of the festivities for the entire time • Have other activates planned – games, sharing stories, picture swap, bow tying contests, family movies, singing – anything to get the focus off of food • Keep food in one location – everything else in another location so that you can escape from the temptation to continually graze! • Take a seat away from the food

25. Sometimes The Celebration Takes Place In A Restaurant Consider changing your behavior in restaurants

26. Am I hungry?

27. Order first if you are tempted by the choices of others If you can, avoid appetizers completely, or Order a low fat salad or broth based soup as an appetizer, request the dressing on the side If you find an appetizer irresistible, consider making it your main course Navigating Restaurants

28. Navigating Restaurants • Decide beforehand what you will order • Find a partner to eat half – save $$ and calories! • If you want bread, limit to one slice and dip it in olive oil instead of using butter – but really, do you have limited opportunities to have bread the rest of the year? • Choose broiled or grilled items, request that no butter, margarine or oil be added

29. Navigating Restaurants • Avoid food deprivation before the restaurant meal • Eat slowly • Consciously, leave some food on your plate OR • Use what you know about appropriate portion sizes and bring leftovers home to enjoy at another meal

30. Navigating Restaurants • Choose beverages with caution • Make the choice between fancy cocktail OR dessert – save 300 – 700 calories!

31. Stress Management • Stress raises blood sugar levels • Stress raises blood pressure • Many people respond to stress by eating • Exercise helps lower stress • Buy yourself a stress management workbook or check one out of the library Use it during the holidays • Get enough rest

32. In Summary • Eat special foods at special times • Trade deprivation for moderation and balance • It’s okay to eat when you are hungry, but do something else if you aren’t • Remember that beverages count • Bring activities to your festivities • Keep moving • Be restaurant savvy • Manage your stress without food