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HOLIDAYS ON THE LIGHTER SIDE
By CHARLIE LIMA

Did you know that the average person consumes around 3,500 calories in one holiday dinner alone? That equals one pound in extra calories - not to mention the leftovers eaten for days afterward. Take these tips and make the holiday season guilt-free this year:

Tip #1: TAKE 2 STEPS TO START THE DAY RIGHT.

Step One: Eat breakfast. Many people skip breakfast on holidays in order to ‘save room’ for the feast. But eating a healthy breakfast that is high in both fiber and protein causes two great things to happen.
• Your metabolism is started early in the day, thus catapulting your body into full fledged calorie burning mode. This will come in handy later in the day.
• You won’t be famished when you sit down for dinner, so you will have less room to binge. (This means fewer calories land on your waist.)
Step Two: Exercise for 30-60 minutes. Exercise is probably the last thing on your mind on a busy holiday, however it is worth your effort. You will negate some of the extra holiday calories and your metabolism will climb even higher.

Tip #2: LIGHTEN THE MENU.

There are a few modifications that can be made to the meal that will drastically reduce the fat and calorie intake of each guest. Do the following to lighten your feast:
• Instead of cream-based dip for your veggie platter, use dip made from nonfat yogurt or nonfat sour cream.
• Replace traditional stuffing with an assortment of chopped vegetables. Fill your turkey with mushrooms, eggplant, onions and celery. Or replace half of your traditional stuffing with chopped vegetables.
• Flavor your mashed potatoes with roasted garlic instead of butter. Or serve baked sweet potatoes instead of butter laden mashed potatoes.
• Roast vegetables without oil - use cooking spray instead and toss them with dill.
• Use unsweetened apple sauce or pureed plums instead of butter or oil in dessert recipes.
• Put out an assortment of fruit for dessert instead of pies.
• Make the recipe for Low Fat Green Bean Casserole.

Tip #3: USE STRATEGY.

Traditional holiday food items weren’t all created equal - nutritionally that is. Roasted white turkey meat (without skin) is a great source of lean protein. Vegetable dishes (without added fats) are also very healthy.
On the other hand, buttery mashed potatoes, white bread rolls, cream based dishes, and heavy gravy are all packed with fat and calories.
Fill your stomach with the healthy items first - white turkey meat and plenty of vegetables. Then simply ‘sample’ the less healthy items in small portions. This simple strategy will save you tons of extra calories and it won’t leave you feeling cheated.

Tip #4: PACE YOURSELF.

Most people get into trouble at holiday dinners by eating full speed ahead until they finally realize that they are full (after their second and third helping). The trouble with this method is the lag time in communication between your stomach and brain.
You may have satiated your hunger with the first helping, but it takes a little while for your stomach to communicate that message to your brain. And during that lag time you took the opportunity to your second and third plate of food.
This year sit calmly in your chair after that first plate and wait at least 20 minutes before getting seconds. You will be surprised to find that the thought of more food doesn’t sound good anymore - and you will have saved yourself unnecessary weight gain.
Well, there you have it - four tips that will get you off to a fit and healthy holiday season.