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Featured
Article
Diet and Be Merry
Article
contributed by Mission
Hospital of Mission Viejo
Mingling
at a friend's party, you notice and smell some
of the usual mouth-watering holiday fare: a
punch bowl brimming with eggnog, a food table
crammed with hors d'oeuvres, turkey baking in
the oven, and apple and pecan pies cooling for
later.
As
you make your way to the couches to seek refuge
from the food and drinks, you regret the idea
of feeding your holiday jitters with high-fat
food and washing them down with a cocktail.
Maybe that's why your pants feel like they are
about to bust at the seams.
Likewise
it's been hard to escape the sweets and goodies
in your office kitchen every day.
For
most, Halloween kicks off the season of rich
cuisine, caloric beverages, lack of time and
irritation. That's why between Thanksgiving
and New Year's Day many people gain five to
10 unwanted pounds, according to the American
Heart Association.
However,
maintaining your healthy lifestyle over the
holidays doesn't have to be arduous. You can
enjoy food and drink while celebrating by planning
for the tempting delights you might encounter.
Check the following list for ways to be nice-and
not naughty.
The
Guilt-free Guest
- Don't
go to a party hungry. Eat lightly the day
you'll be expected to eat a large meal. But
eat heartily before leaving for a buffet.
- Stay
away from sweet drinks, which have a lot of
sugar.
- Focus
on the festivities, not the food.
- Stick
to watery, fibrous appetizers like celery
and radishes.
- Choose
a small plate if plates of different sizes
are available.
- Socialize
far from the bar and buffet table.
- Split
desserts two or four ways.
-
Scrape off all high-fat toppings and sauces.
- Practice
saying, "No thank you" to food offerings.
-
Avoid reaching for snacks just because they're
handy.
The
Health-Conscious Hostess
- Keep
it a secret if you're serving a "diet" meal.
Otherwise you may ruin a festive mood.
- Cut
serving sizes to reduce calorie and fat grams.
- Don't
believe a feast isn't a feast unless every
guest is groaning after eating. With 18 percent
of adults making changes in their diet other
ways fruit may be more appreciated.
- Combine
ricotta cheese with dates, prunes, dried apples
or apricots in a food processor and blend
until smooth. Spread over crackers or fruit
slices for a nutritious hors d'oeuvre.
Willpower
at Work
Bring
low-fat foods such as popcorn, nonfat yogurt,
whole-wheat crackers, ready-to-eat vegetables
and pretzels to the office so you can turn to
them in times of temptation. Stay out of the
kitchen or break room. This will keep the sweets
from staring you in the face.
- - - - - - - - - -
About
Mission Hospital
Mission Hospital is a 340-bed acute care, full-service
facility serving all of south Orange County
and houses the region's designated trauma center,
one of only three in the county. Located in
Mission Viejo, Mission Hospital offers a complete
array of top-quality healthcare services.
Disclaimer: The above information
is presented for educational purposes only.
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for the treatment or prevention of any disease.
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