Holiday Tips & Tricks #1: How NOT to OVEREAT During the Holidays

Throughout the year, we always try our best to eat healthy and not necessarily because we want to be healthier but rather an excuse to stuff ourselves on delicious holiday food. However no matter how healthy you ate throughout the year, it is never good to overstuff yourselves on any occasion. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you not to overeat but still able to enjoy the food regardless!

1.) Stuffing or Dinner Rolls

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 VS.

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PICK ONE!!! Carbs and starches make up the majority of a holiday meal. When it comes to stuffing and dinner rolls try to stick with one (I prefer stuffing). This way you can still have your other delicious starches like mash potatoes.

2.) DO LOAD UP ON THE PROTEIN

Whether you eat turkey or ham during the holidays this is one area where you do not need to fret about too much. Between the starches and desserts our blood sugar rises significantly. Do load up on the meat. The protein will help you keep your blood sugars at bay and turkey is rather a healthier meat compared to others.

3.) Portion control

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If you are the chef during the holidays you have a lot of power on your hands. Some foods like stuffing or casserole can be easily portion sized. Instead of baking the stuffing or casserole in a giant dish bake them in muffin tins. Not only you will be saving some calories you also have a cute presentation for your family and friends (not to mention the muffin tins will crisp up the edges YUM).

4.) Cranberry Sauce...

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While cranberries are full of nutrients and antioxidants cranberry sauce is LOADED with insane amounts of sugar to combat the cranberries' tartness. Instead of so much sugar cut it in half and replace the other half with fresh squeeze fruit juice like apple or orange. If you don't have fresh fruit on hand use a natural sweetener like Stevia or Truvia. Also went eating cranberry sauce, even with the replacements do limit yourself to no more than 5 tablespoons. There is still a good amount of sugar even with the substitutes.

5.) Skip the Crust

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Pies Pies Pies the ultimate holiday dessert and the most dangerous around this time of year. When possible especially if you are having pumpkin pie skip the crust and just eat the filling. You will not only have yourself a bunch of calories but let's get real the filling is always the best part!