‘Have You Tried My Pecan Pumpkin Pie?’
Tempting treats and food pushers will push dieters to the brink this holiday season. Here’s how to handle the onslaught of eats and still have a delicious celebration.
Grandma might flash you her famous look of disapproval if you forgo her equally famous pecan pie, but when the food spread stretches out farther than the eye can see, you have to make certain concessions comes holiday time.
Especially considering that the average Thanksgiving meal clocks in at a whopping 3,000 calories and contains more than 229 grams of fat.
“A 160 lb. person would have to run at a moderate pace for four hours, swim for five hours or walk 30 miles to burn off a 3,000-calorie Thanksgiving Day meal,” said Dr. Cedric Bryant, American Council on Exercise chief exercise physiologist, San Diego. “Many people start by snacking throughout the day and that combined with the meal can lead to a total caloric intake of 4,500. All holiday delicacies can be enjoyed so long as they’re eaten in moderation and combined with a proper exercise plan.”
So how can you have your cake and still avoid asking Santa for larger pants come Christmas? It’s unrealistic to think you can or should skip out on the greatest feast of the year. There are many ways you can compensate for the gluttony. Here are tips from the American Council on Exercise to keep your health on track this holiday season:
Tips to Stay Fit
• You can make up for a feast of rich, higher-fat foods with lighter, lower-fat meals for the next couple of days. Plan for the big meal that day with a low-calorie, low-fat breakfast and lunch. Never skip meals, just limit them.
• Look back and assess your diet over the past few days by recording your caloric intake with a food diary. Have you been over-indulging at recent party feasts? Are there additional celebrations looming? Try eating sensibly in order to afford the extra calories come meal time.
• Don’t panic or feel guilty if your diet seems to have gotten out of hand. When you balance your intake over several days, you have ample time to regain control.
• Make physical activity a regular habit. Beyond burning calories, exercise is essential for good health, stress management (oftentimes a challenge during the busy holiday season) and overall well-being.
• Working out consistently will help jump-start your metabolism allowing you to burn more of those calories from your holiday binge.
• Have a salad, light soup or some fruit and veggies before leaving home or prior to your meal. This way you will feel fuller and less likely to overeat.
• Select only your favorite foods at a holiday buffet and let other guests enjoy traditional fare like nuts, rolls and sweet potatoes.
• Practice portion control. A smaller serving of the real thing can be very satisfying and calorie trimming.
Matthew M. F. Miller, author of “Maybe Baby: An Infertile Love Story” (HCI, 2008), is a syndicated fatherhood blogger
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