As the holidays approach, the hustle and bustle of celebrations, meals and gatherings can make it easy to lose sight of mindful habits.
The average American consumes around 3,000 calories in a single Thanksgiving meal and up to 4,500 calories for the entire day, according to the American Council on Exercise. This contributes to an average holiday weight gain of one pound, which can account for more than 50% of annual weight gain and is often not shed afterward, leading to long-term impacts.
Steven Lalevich, a registered dietitian with Healthy IU, offers practical tips to stay grounded and mindful during this festive season. From navigating indulgent meals to managing stress, his advice helps balance enjoyment with wellness, ensuring the holidays remain a time of joy and health.
Say no to leftovers
Lalevich suggests for those really looking to stay on track this season to limit the indulgence to just one meal.
“One meal probably isn’t going to make that big of a difference for someone’s overall health and nutrition, but if it extends for a whole day or a whole week or several days, then it can make a big dent,” Lalevich said. “So, having an intentional plan around that, maybe setting aside one day or one meal to be more indulgent.”
While your mother-in-law might insist you take home that extra drumstick and side of potatoes, Lalevich suggest instead thinking about your goals and only taking things that will contribute to a healthy diet — like non-starchy vegetables or lean turkey.
Watch out for “empty calories”
Although holiday dinners are the star of the show, people may want to glance at the drinks beside their plate and the dessert table to think about mindfulness.
“A lot of calories are going to be in beverages, whether it’s sugar-sweetened beverages like soda or alcohol,” Lalevich said. “So, having a plan with beverages, which in general are empty calories, of maybe setting a goal of limiting that to just water or maybe if you are going to have alcohol, maybe limiting it to just one alcoholic beverage.”
Go heavy on the veggies
There should still be an emphasis on the food on the plate, however.
Lalevich suggests that half the plate should be made up of non-starchy vegetables. Unfortunately, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes don’t count.
“If you’re going back for seconds, try to not just go back for more potatoes, but maybe also get more of that volume component so that you can maintain that proportionality across the meal,” Lalevich said.
Lalevich suggests reaching for green beans, broccoli, leafy greens and salad. If nobody at your holiday party is planning to bring one, bring it yourself.
Swap the sugar for sustenance
When it comes to desserts, there is room to have some on your plate. Instead of the calorie-dense traditional desserts, try bringing an alternative.
“Maybe this could also be an avenue for bringing a healthy dessert like fruit or a fruit salad could be a very healthy option,” Lalevich said.
If your family is set on the traditional desserts, he suggests swapping some of the ingredients for healthier ones.
“There are some healthier recipes that you could find or even modifying recipes to reduce the amount of sugar in a recipe or replacing part of the fat in a recipe with applesauce,” Lalevich said.
For more information about Healthy IU, visit healthy.iu.edu.
This reporting is made possible by a grant from the Indianapolis African-American Quality of Life Initiative, empowering our community with essential health insights. https://iaaqli.org/
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Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.