Judy E. Buss

After past tries, you have finally succeeded in implementing strategies for improving your eating habits. You feel and look better. Congratulations! Oh no! Here come the holidays with all their temptations of fatty appetizers, rivers of sugary drinks, Texas-size helpings of turkey and ham, and mountains of sweet desserts… You worry that by the time the cleanup crew is busy sweeping the Super Bowl stadium, your healthier lifestyle will be out the window sending you to buy a whole new wardrobe to fit your expanded waistline.

Do not despair!  Remember that every one of us has the right to control our life, and that includes what and how much we put in our mouths. Holidays are synonymous with the word “tradition,” but if you keep in mind that traditions are made by humans, they can therefore be changed by humans as well! You don’t have to follow a tradition of overeating during festive occasions, or eating foods to which you bade sayonara, like carpet-bombing yourself with candy at Halloween.

Here are some of the many and simple steps you can take to enjoy the holidays without hating yourself come February. If you are the hostess/host: * don’t shove a whole stick of butter into the turkey before it’s roasted. After basting its exterior with plain olive oil, mix a sauce of lemon zest and juice, olive oil, finely grated garlic clove, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to rub inside the bird’s cavity.  Ready? Set, roast – yum!  * Instead of making a salad drowning in mayo, opt for a lighter version of Romaine lettuce, spinach, red or green onion, cuke, raw frozen sweet peas (thawed), and fresh herbs in light tangy vinaigrette. * A health-busting sweet potato casserole mixed with a ton of butter and suffocating under a layer of marshmallows can morph into a scrumptious and wholesome dish when the cooked potatoes are mashed and mixed with Light olive oil, cinnamon, ground ginger, lemon juice, and a small amount of raisins – not trespassed by marshmallows!  * Prepare a healthier turkey stuffing from quality whole grain bread torn into small pieces, rather than DOA (dead-on-arrival) white bread. Forget the sausage. Add a little broth, roasted walnuts, briefly-cooked sliced mushrooms and sliced celery, oregano, salt, and pepper – delicious!

* Holiday baking can be made without vats of sugar, butter, and cream. Pastry turns out just as delectable made with whole wheat pastry flour, 2% milk, or unsweetened soy milk, rather than its nutritionally impoverished, calorie-laden counterparts. Where possible, reduce or replace empty-calorie white sugar with chopped dried fruit and/or a small amount of honey in bars, crisps, cakes, cup cakes, and cookies.

* When you are invited to someone else’s holiday celebration don’t arrive there hungry; that spells trouble. Before you go, eat a light nutritious meal, such as a small salad, and a whole grain toast; a veggie sandwich; or a bowl of hearty home cooked soup accompanied with toasted whole wheat pita bread. Or consume a nutritious snack, perhaps a whole grain bagel with additive-free peanut butter, or a piece of fruit and three tablespoons nuts. This simple strategy will prevent stuffing yourself at the festivity and sledge-hammering your effort to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

* During parties focus on socializing and keep your distance from the food table. When loading your plate, select smaller portions and leaner healthier dishes. Avoid second or third helpings! Try to skip pastry altogether or consume only one small sample. Keep in mind that while at a party no one will be recording what and how much you eat. If someone does bug you to eat more – just say “I’m fine, perhaps later,” and change the subject or move on…

* Avoid fatty finger food, such as cheese, potato chips, calorie-bomb dips, sugary drinks, or pizza, particularly if they precede a meal. Select lighter fare.

* One of the best methods for sticking to your new and improved diet is to write down “party rules” on a piece of paper a few days before a celebration, and frequently repeat the points until you memorized them. Then take pride in following your plan at the festivity.

So join the upper crust: those who decline membership in the Eat-It-Today-Wear-It-Tomorrow club. Happy and healthy holidays!

“Mission Nutrition” Tips and Recipes from Judy E. Buss, Syndicated Eating-for-Health Columnist

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