A Little Holiday Splurging is Okay

If you’re one of countless Americans who fears that all that careful dieting and those gym visits throughout the year will be undermined by the first holiday party, relax.

A little holiday splurging is fine as long as the splurging is limited to only a handful of lavish meals — Thanksgiving, Christmas and maybe an office dinner — says one expert.

At Auburn University, Dr. Robert Keith, an Alabama Cooperative Extension System nutritionist and professor of nutrition and food science, says there’s no harm in the occasional splurge so long as you know what you’re doing.

“I tell people to go ahead and enjoy that Thanksgiving or Christmas meal,” Keith says. “Eat the food, enjoy it and don’t worry about gaining weight on the basis of only one or two larger meals during the season.”

Yes, studies have shown that Americans gain an average 3 or 4 pounds during the holidays, but it’s not because of a Christmas or Thanksgiving meal. It’s because many people don’t apply the brakes after those first couple of holiday meals.

As the holiday celebrating reaches full throttle, the temptations multiply. On top of the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are the lavish holiday parties strung in between — and, on top of that, the bountiful reveling that often accompanies New Year’s Day.

“We enter this six-week holiday season looking forward to all the parties with friends, family and coworkers and all the cakes, cookies and beverages that go with them,” Keith says.

These, rather than the two traditional meals, are where the problems occur --- the reason Keith stresses why it’s so important during the holiday season to track calories.

He recommends avoiding heavy breakfasts and lunches if you’re planning on a big meal later that evening.

“You need to be thinking about where all these calories are coming from,” Keith says. “If you’re going out, keep track of calories you’ve previously consumed throughout the day.”

The important thing, he says, is “to remain conscious of what’s going on and to do a little dietary and weight correcting when needed.”

As long as you’re following this general rule of thumb, you can enjoy those extravagant Thanksgiving and Christmas meals without the guilt.

Posted by Jim Langcuster at November 14, 2007 03:40 PM