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’Tis the season for festive celebrations with family and friends (and a lot of food). Because we realize it can be tough to make healthy eating choices while we’re Fa La La-ing, we asked Gifford Director of Hospitality Chef Ed Striebe and Certified Diabetes Educator Jennifer Stratton, RD, to share how they (realistically) achieve balance during the holidays. Here’s what they said:
1 – Exercise control.
“You’re going to have all kinds of things available to you and served to you. What you can control is how much you’re putting on your plate. If there’s nothing else that you can do, you can cut back on how much you serve yourself.” –Jennifer
“Watch your portion size and alcohol intake, drink lots of water, and slow down. There’s really something to be said for the slow food movement. We tend to eat so quick and move on. It can take up to 20 minutes to realize you’re full.” –Ed
2 – Bring a safe food.
Going to a party and want to make sure you have a healthy choice?
“Bring something that is safe for you to eat. If you bring a vegetable dish that you know you can have, you have your safe food.” –Jennifer
3 – Make your own traditions.
It’s OK not to cook/bake/serve everything your grandma did.
“I used to make it all, because that’s what my mother did, out of tradition. This year I’ll cut back to a few hors d’oeuvres on Christmas Eve, a big breakfast on Christmas Day, and we’ll graze for dinner.” –Ed
“This year we’re doing three kinds of soup, including a chili and an Italian white bean soup. I try to keep it to one meal, and we’ll have dessert, but have the rest of the day be a normal day. … In the morning, we always make a breakfast bread, but we’ll also have eggs and fruit.” –Jennifer
4 – Get moving.
“Take a walk. Play in the snow. Build a snowman. Be a kid. You’re only as old as you act.” –Jennifer
“I always try to get a little more exercise, go for a walk, and get proper rest.” –Ed
5 – Don’t beat yourself up.
“It’s OK to splurge. If you do, go easy on yourself. And if you’re going to really go for it, eat real, whole food – not processed food.” –Ed
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