Keeping Holiday Meals in Check

Don't fret about overeating during the holidays. Worrying too
much may push you to overindulge. So relax and keep moderation in
mind.

You may think that the average American gains five pounds during the holidays, but Joy Short, the director of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis
University in Missouri, notes that this popular notion is an exaggeration. "Most
people, if they gain anything, pick up one-half to two pounds," she
says. Still, a pound every year can add up.

Short offers tips for the diet-minded—which may help you
stick with healthy foods in moderation:

• Think color when putting food on your plate. The white
  plate—turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes gravy and a roll—should
  be counterbalanced with colorful and more nutritionally valuable fruits
  and vegetables.
• Some "bad" foods are better than others. While
  pecan nuts have been linked with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, pecan
  pie is loaded with calories. However, apple pie has less sugar and calories, and
  is also a good source of beta-carotene.
• Hard cheeses have less fat than soft cheeses. Picking the
  most flavorful ones, notes Short, is a good way to eat smaller portions.
  Also, it's better to choose multigrain crackers over buttery
  ones.
• If you drink, alternate with water; dehydration causes
  hangovers. Skip the eggnog, since it's high in saturated fat. Stick
  with red wine and dark beer, which have antioxidants that may help fight
  cancer and heart disease.
• Go for fewer toppings—be it gravy, dressing or sour
  cream—and dish up smaller portions. "After all," says
  Short, "the first bite of an indulgent food tastes like the last.
  You don't really need a huge amount to satisfy your
  craving."

"When you obsess about what to eat at a holiday gathering,
you get into that all-or-nothing mentality," says Short.
"Then you overindulge and that leads to self-defeat."