Holiday Survival Tips to Maintain Your Diet During The Holidays
The holidays are just around the corner, meaning athletes and dieters are in for quite the struggle when it comes to that irresistible holiday food. Surrounded by traditional favorites, baked breads, rich desserts and decadent cocktails, one can almost visualize the numbers on the scale heading in the wrong direction. FearnotandRSVPyes toyour festiveengagementsbyarmingyourself with these helpful tips: • Eat before you go. As silly as this may sound, the best way to arrive at your function and be able to pass on high calorie and high fat hors d’oeuvres is to not be plagued with hunger pangs. In addition, you will be able to make healthier food choices placing more emphasis on salads, protein and vegetables. • Avoid high sugar spirits like daiquiris, coladas and margaritas. With just two of these types of cocktails, you could consume half of your days’ worth of calories. Instead, choose light beer, red wines like pinot noir or chianti, white wines like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc or mixed vodka club drinks with a splash of juice. Since alcohol dehydrates the body which can lead to extra snacking, be sure to drink plenty of water in between.
• You can’t have your fruitcake and eat it too. Holiday desserts can be rich in sugar, fat, and calories which can really pack on the pounds especially if coupled with a high carbohydrate dinner.Try chewing on gum or sipping on a flavored herb tea to help squelch the desire to sample a little bit of everything. But if you must indulge, choose a reasonable portion of one of your favorites or two half portion sized desserts. • Calories in, calories out. If you are going to indulge you must exercise. Exercising an hour a day, or 30 minutes at high intensity, 5 times a week will help keep your clothes fitting nicely. • 80/20 rule. Stick with a low carbohydrate diet throughout the season with plenty of protein, vegetables and healthy fats. No need to add any extra rice, pasta, cereal or bread to breakfast and lunch meals.This will allow you to partake in some decadent foods a few times a week without adding the average 5-7 pounds of holiday weight gain.
Seasonal Recipe Sweet Potato Pecan Casserole
Ingredients • 3 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks • 1/3 cup honey • 1 large egg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg • 1/8 tsp ground ginger • Kosher salt
• 1 tbsp packed dark brown sugar • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
Directions Preheattheovento350degreesF.Mistan8-inchsquarebakingdishwithcookingspray.Bringafew inchesofwater to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potatomixture inthepreparedbakingdish.Mixthebrownsugar,pecansandtheremaining1/2teaspooncinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.
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