Stay Lean through the Holidays with 50-Calorie Bites
With all the parties and munching, people put on weight during the holidays. I have a few tricks to keep my noshing down but still get to have tastes of my favorite foods. I grew up on ham, sparking apple cider, chex-mix, macaroni and cheese and all the home-y stuff my mom would make and serve at the holidays. Not to mention all the pies, cakes, candy and cookies!
Some of my tricks: Eat before an event – something small and healthy (protein shake, nutrition bar, handful of nuts, slice of chicken), and drink a glass of water. Then, I am not starving when I hit the door of the party.
Here is a new trick I just got from a great article in the December 2013 AARP Bulletin. Plan around 50 calorie bites! Of course, this means I can no longer compete with my family to drink the most Sparkling Cider at one sitting – my record: a 25.4 oz bottle in 10 minutes — or put down several ham slices with cheese, but at least I don’t have to lose all my favorite foods entirely. Here is the list and, if you keep it in mind, it may help you to Stay Lean through the Holidays.
The guideline is women can choose 18 of these servings for 900 calories, which would be about half their daily recommended caloric intake, and men can choose 22 for 1,100 calories. That way if you want three pieces of pumpkin pie, you can have it, but that means cutting-back somewhere else…..Or, you can just eat all you want for a few days and then do a Fast or Cleanse for a few after, beginning in the New Year. I will post about different types of safe fasts and cleanses in my next blog, sometime after the New Year, probably!
50-Calorie Holiday Bites – credit: AARP Bulletin, December, 2013
Appetizers
• Pigs in a blanket, appetizer-size: 1

• Chex Mix: 1/5 cup
• Spinach dp: 1-1/2 tablespoons
Dinner Dishes

• Ham, canned: 1 medium slice
• Mashed potatoes: ¼ cup
• Turkey with skin: 1 medium slice
• Prime rib: 1 thin slice
• Stuffing: 1/8 cup
• Green bean casserole: ¼ cup
• Candied sweet potatoes: 1/6 cup
• Macaroni and cheese: 1/10 cup
• Gravy: 3 tablespoons
• Cranberry sauce: 1/8 cup
Beverages
• Eggnog, non-alcoolic: ¼ cup
• Eggnog, alcoholic: 1/8 cup
• Wine: 2 fluid oz.
• Beer: 4 fluid oz.

• Apple cider: 3 fluid oz.
Desserts

• Pumpkin pie: 1/6 of a slice
• Apple pie: 1/8 of a slice
• Pecan pie: 1/10 of a slice
• Sweet potato pie: 1/6 of a slice
• Fruitcake: 1/6 of a slice
• Jello: 1/3 cup
So, now that you know these measurements, you can estimate the calories for each of your choices. Don’t feel too bad if the 50-calorie portions just don’t cut it. I have to agree! My choice, choose my three top favorites, eat as much of these foods/drinks as I want and cut-back elsewhere. And if I just can’t resist, there is always the Cleanse solution! Or, a bike-ride, run or a sauna…….
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!