Learn more about weight loss surgery at Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians www.RMAP.com (801) 268-3800

 

With the holiday season quickly approaching it’s a great time to plan ahead for those holiday gatherings. You may have heard the phrase “A plan to be prepared, is a plan to succeed,” something like that is often discussed in our weight loss surgery support groups.

Here are some tips on how to survive this holiday season:
1.) Don’t skip meals! When you anticipate a high calorie dinner or party coming, eat less at your other meals. Skipping a meal will make you edgy, nervous, and hungrier. You shouldn’t go to any type of party hungry. Instead, eat a little fruit or half a sandwich before you go so that you will have a little buffer against stuffing yourself full.

2.) At a dinner or cocktail party, don’t fill yourself with appetizers, especially those that are breaded, fried, buttered or covered with a sauce. Instead, choose fruit, hard cheese, shrimp, or raw veggies. Avoid high calorie party foods like cheese spreads, fruitcake, guacamole, quiches, chips and dip, pates, and rich canapes. Seafood or veggie snacks tend to be more nutritious and a little lower in calories.

3.) Bring a long a low-calorie hostess gift, fresh fruit tray or relish tray, or anything else that you might like to munch on. That way you will know for sure there is at least one thing you can eat a lot of.

4.) Limit yourself to one reasonably sized helping. Move away from food just as soon as you’ve filled your plate. Stand away from the food; get involved in games or conversations.

5.) Find yourself an interesting person to talk to. It’s hard to have a great conversation with your mouth full. Hold your drink with both hands. That always helps to keep your hands busy and not reach for chips or other little tidbits to munch on.

6.) If you are invited to cocktails before dinner, arrive late, thus less time to eat or drink before dinner.

7.) Freeze any baked goods in individual portions so you can thaw out exactly what you need when guests arrive, instead of having high fat, high calorie goodies always around the house.

8.) When planning a get-together, take the emphasis off food. Focus instead on activities such as miniature golfing, skating, touch football, softball, trimming the tree, etc.

9.) If you are thinking of drinking alcohol, try wine spritzers instead (2 oz. wine in club soda or ginger ale with a lemon twist). Remember each gram of alcohol has 7 calories.

10.) When attending barbecues, avoid high fat meat items such as hot dogs (each hot dog has about 17-18 grams of fat). Try a smaller size hamburger instead and eat side dishes such as green salads and fresh fruits instead of potato chips or potato salads high in fat.

 

How are you preparing for your next holiday gathering?

 

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www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124