Nutritionally Navigating

the Holidays

By, Amber Fentress, MS, RD, LD

Food Demos

• Fruit Pie

• Ingredients

• Graham Cracker Crust (for sake of time, I used a store bought version but you can definitely make your own)

• 1-1½ cups plain Greek yogurt

• 4-8oz reduced fat Cream Cheese

• ½ cup light Whip Cream

• ¼ cup Berries

• Almond Milk Egg Nog

• Ingredients

• 2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk

• 3 Egg Whites

• 1/3 cup Raw Honey

• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg plus more for topping

• ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon plus more for topping

• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Topics of discussion

• Reducing stress around holiday events.

• Eating a micro-nutrient dense breakfast & lunch.

• Not restricting yourself

• Listen to your hunger cues.

• Getting active after a big meal.

• Holiday food after the holiday

Reducing Stress Around Holiday Events

• Holidays are meant to be enjoyed with friends and family not cause stress

because of the food served at these events.

• What will contribute more negatively than eating a little more on this one day

is the stress you put your body through. Stress does lead to weight gain.

• This is a time where you get to see your aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces,

nephews that you may not get to see but once or twice a year

• Although the food is a big part of it, it’s not the main part so remember that!

Eating a Micronutrient Dense Breakfast &

Lunch.

• DO NOT skip meals leading up to a holiday event

• This will put you at a greater risk of overeating while you’re there and not truly enjoying the food

• Do eat you a healthy breakfast and lunch.

• If your holiday dinner is anything like mine, it’s lacking on the fruits and vegetables

• The apple pie loaded with sugar and butter doesn’t count

• Make sure you’re giving your body the micro and macronutrients it needs

• One option could be some oatmeal topped with berries at breakfast

• This meal will also give you some fiber that helps with satiety and ensures your digestive track is working properly

Not Restricting Yourself

• As discussed in the previous slide, do NOT skip meals prior to event

• Don’t eat before because you think you wont eat once you get there

• One of two things will happen if you do this:

• 1. You’ll feel restricted and have a negative connotation with the holidays

• 2. You’ll end up overeating once you get there because you couldn’t control yourself

• Also, don’t try to avoid all the “bad” foods while you’re there

• A lot of these foods you don’t get to enjoy except once a year

• This does not mean go crazy though!

Step by Step

• 1. Examine the food spread once you arrive

• 2. Decide which foods you really want to have, not foods you could have at any time. Be choosy!

• 3. Grab a plate, choose a smaller plate if possible

• 4. Get yourself the foods you really want to have and SIT DOWN

• Don’t stand and just munch on foods, this does not allow you to be aware of how much you’ve truly ate. Sit down and enjoy your food.

• 5. Stop when you’re full.

• If you finish your plate and want seconds, wait 10 minutes for your food to settle and then re-evaluate your hunger. Still hungry? Go get a little more.

• 6. Put the food away once you’re done. Don’t continue to have food sitting out, this will cause you to mindlessly eat.

• Same goes for desserts, if you want a cookie or slice of pie have one but don’t eat the whole jar just because it’s sitting out.

Listen to your Hunger Cues

• Get more in tune with your body

• Truly evaluate if you’re hungry, just because Becky makes a huge helping, doesn’t mean you have to too

• Remove distractions at the dinner table and truly enjoy every bite

• Talk with you family, put the phone down

• Slow down, don’t scarf it down. It’s not going anywhere, finish your first bite before shoveling in another!

• Clean plate club no more! Just because you put it all on your plate does not mean you have to eat it! If you’re full, STOP.

• Satisfied NOT stuffed. You should not have to unbutton your pants once you finish eating because you’re so full.

• If this is you every year, stop eating halfway through and just sit there for a couple minutes. Listen to your body.

Limit your Alcoholic Beverages

• Limit alcoholic beverages to one for women and two for men per day

• Alcohol limits your inhibitions and can lead to overeating

• If you’re going to drink choose drinks that are lower in calories

• Be aware. The main thing I tell my clients is be aware of what you’re doing.

• If you’re going to drink multiple drinks that are 200+ calories a pop, don’t be surprised if you end up gaining weight.

Getting Active

• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

• 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week OR 75 minutes of

vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week.

• Aerobic activities include walking, running, biking, swimming, kayaking, dancing, etc.

• Start a family tradition of going on a walk after your big meal

• This will help get your digestive track moving

• Reduce lethargic feeling

• Plus, it’s a great way to bond with family and get in some steps

Holiday Food after the Holiday

• A holiday is ONE day, not the whole time from Thanksgiving to New Years

• Enjoy the holiday and all the wonderful food for that one day with your family.

• Having one day of splurging will not ruin your healthy lifestyle.

• Just go back to your normal habits the next day, our bodies are smart, it will go back to normal

• You may have some weight gain the next day, this does not mean it’s all fat.

• Additional sodium and carbohydrate consumption can cause water retention.

• If you’re someone who stresses over your weight, don’t weigh yourself until 2-3 days after once you’ve gotten back to your normal routine.

• What about the leftovers?

• The sweets and desserts, offer them to another family member vs taking them home.

• Leftover turkey can easily be made into sandwiches where you can add tomatoes, spinach, avocado, and eat it on whole grain bread!

Healthy Eating

• As mentioned in the above slide, I said go back to your healthy eating habits. What should that look like? And why is that

important?

Healthy Eating

• Your diet and exercise has a large impact on your health

• The number one leading cause of death in America is largely preventable with diet and exercise

• The habits you’re making now are either positively or negatively affecting your future health

• Change is hard, but it’s much easier to do so now then when something worse happens to you.

• I’m here to help! Come see me at Student Health!

MyPlate Method

• ½ of your plate should be made up of fruits

and vegetables

• There should be color on your plate!!

• ¼ of your plate should be made up of grains

• ¼ of your plate should be made up of protein

• Additional daily is optional

Water

• Water is so important and too many people are lacking on their water intake

• Water is your body's principal chemical component and makes up about 60

percent of your body weight. Your body depends on water to survive.

• The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined

that an adequate daily fluid intake is:

• About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men

• About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women

Water: How much should you drink every day? (2017, September 06). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-

depth/water/art-20044256

Exercise

• Student Wellness Center

• Exercise classes 6 days. Grab a friend and try one out!

• Weight room and machines- Adults should incorporate resistance training 2x week

• Not sure what you’re doing? Ask for help!

• Track- go walk on the track for 30minutes. Listen to your online lecture, listen to a podcast, or just music. Doesn’t matter, just get moving!

• Exercise helps with your health but it also releases endorphins which help your mood! I don’t know a single time I’ve walked out of a workout mad.

Questions?!