Waist not: A survival guide for the high-cal holidays

Mashed potatoes doused in butter, pumpkin pie with whipped cream and classic green bean casserole — all these foods will find their places on many plates this Thanksgiving. While those tasty dishes include vegetables, they aren’t exactly the healthiest choices for the waistline.

Kimberly Lunsford, a registered dietitian at The Nutrition Resource in Roanoke, said there are many mistakes people make every holiday season in regards to their health, from eating poorly at work to ruining healthy food with too much butter and gravy.

The biggest mistake, she says, happens when people plan on losing weight before January, while facing the yearly onslaught of tempting treats.

“It’s probably better to try to maintain your weight this time of year,” Lunsford said.

“The average American gains seven to 10 pounds between Halloween and New Year’s.”

With most social events centered around food during the holiday season, Lunsford says people should not deprive themselves but try not to gain weight.

“It’s easier to just not be so hard on yourself and try to maintain the weight you are right now.”

Yet Lunsford warns people not to completely ignore the scale. She says another holiday health pitfall is that people ignore their weight until time for New Year’s resolutions.

“(People) just say, ‘I’m not going to look at the scale until January. I’m going to have fun; I’m going to eat whatever I want,’” Lunsford said.

Putting off weight worry until January is not going to keep the calories from counting, however.

“Obviously, that 7 to 10 pounds can creep on rather quickly,” she said.

Lunsford recommends checking your weight weekly and keeping a record of the weigh-ins.

“If you get on the scale one week and it’s up 2 pounds, then you can do something different the next week, so that it’s not a 10-pound problem by New Year’s,” Lunsford said.

Another mistake people make during the holidays is not planning meals.

“We completely ignore our day-to-day eating,” Lunsford said, and focus instead on prepping special dishes for potlucks and parties — where selections are usually less than nutritious.

With no meals ready to go at home, she says many people hit the drive-through instead of cooking. She said people tend to consume more calories and spend more money when they eat out compared with eating at home.

“I recommend that you still take about an hour on Sunday, get out the circular and make your grocery list.”

Lunsford says the best way to save money and extra calories is to plan ahead and avoid impulse shopping. She says almost any selection you make in the store will be healthier than fast food, and the food generally served at Thanksgiving and Christmas is healthy.

She says it is the additions to the cranberries, turkey and sweet potatoes that are bad for your health. She recommends using alternatives to butter and cream, such as chicken broth, to flavor dishes in the beginning of the cooking process, with the small addition of butter if desired when serving.

Be warned, though: While you might make smart decisions for your table at home, other home cooks might not be as careful when it comes to calories.

“Sometimes you have the best intentions at home, and then you come in and your co-worker has brought in Oreo cheesecake brownies and pumpkin cheesecake,” she said.

Though co-workers are trying to show their appreciation with treats, Lunsford says plans for healthy eating can be destroyed by the constant flow of holiday office goodies. To avoid eating poorly at work, she suggests that people try to make a pact to bring in healthy dishes or designate one day for going all-out with sweets.

“Don’t make it a two-month event of bringing in bourbon balls for lunch,” Lunsford said. “That’s going to sabotage any plans you have for healthy eating.”

She has some quick portion control tricks to keep in mind as dishes are passed around the table.

“An easy portion tip for mashed potatoes or starches is to make a fist,” she said, with the portion amount being about that size or not much larger. Lunsford says the best way to approach a meal is to fill half of your dinner plate with vegetables, thereby limiting the amount of starches and sweets.

Lunsford said there is no reason to go overboard during any holiday meal and consume too many calories.

“There are always leftovers,” she said. “You’re going to be able to eat it again anyway.”