WASHINGTON 鈥� The Thanksgiving meal is over, and now it鈥檚 time for calorie- and carb-laden treats at holiday parties. The temptations are becoming a daily problem as the season goes on, but you can do some things to protect yourself.
This is the fourth in a series of talks between 91欧美激情 and Sally Squires, author of the Lean Plate Club鈩� blog, a former Washington Post health writer and Washington Post Radio contributor, aimed at helping you stay healthy during the holidays. 91欧美激情 invites listeners and readers to join in the聽聽and stay on track.
The holidays are a time for occasionally eating something delicious and indulgent in a party setting, but 鈥淚f you do it nonstop, odds are you might put on that extra weight,鈥� Squires says.
Most healthy-weight people gain about a pound over the holidays, but they take it off later, Squires says. But the two-thirds of Americans who are overweight put on about two pounds per holiday 鈥� and, more importantly, they don鈥檛 take it off.
Before the real office party season ramps up, is a time to 鈥渟tay the course,鈥� Squires says. 鈥淜eep to a healthy, moderate way of eating, and then add in a little exercise 鈥� even an extra five minutes a day can really help you get that balance. It also kind of keeps you away 鈥� if you鈥檙e walking, you鈥檙e not eating so mindlessly.鈥�
When the serious cookie season begins, Squires suggests bringing your own snacks so you don鈥檛 grab the cookies. Granted, 鈥漼ou don鈥檛 want to be the person who doesn鈥檛 participate鈥� in the cookie exchange, but giving cookies away, or even regifting them, is your way out.
The key, as with the rest of the year, is to feel full, and Squires says the way to do it is to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as protein and fiber. She recommends high-fiber cereals, whole-grain breads and pasta, as well as beans 鈥� they have 16 grams each of protein and fiber per cup.
She also has common-sense tips, some of which came from the readers of her blog. For example, if you re-use the plastic plates from diet frozen dinners, that鈥檚 a perfect method of built-in portion control. And while no one wants to count calories at this time of year, just writing down what you鈥檝e eaten over the course of the day 鈥� even if you don鈥檛 get very specific about amounts 鈥� can help you realize, and adjust, what you鈥檝e been taking in.
As always, Squires advises, eat three regular meals a day, sitting down. 鈥淒on鈥檛 have the TV on; don鈥檛 read a book.鈥�
You can email Squires聽questions and comments at聽sally@sallysquires.com.
