There are three facts synonymous with the holiday season: family gatherings, presents, and for some of us, unwanted weight gain. Both Thanksgiving and Christmas provide ample opportunities to chomp on high calorie noshes, and if you’re not mindful of your diet, you could gain extra weight. For most people, weight gain is rarely a good thing–and it’s even worse news for dieters, who try hard to lose weight and keep it off.
To see how dieters handle the holidays, I asked several dieters to share their favorite low-calorie holiday dishes. So which low-calorie meals do they prefer?
“I keep it simple and natural,” says Jeanne P. “Garden salad is always my favorite low calorie dish even when it’s not the holidays. It’s delicious, nutritious and guilt free.”
Cindy G. is also a big fan of vegetables, and often associates vegetables with the holiday season. She explains: “When I was a kid, my grandmother always put out a relish tray while we were waiting for the holiday meal to be done. It seems crazy now, but I still associate carrot and celery sticks with happy holidays.”
Other foods, such as sweet potatoes and fruits, are also big hits with dieters Debbie H. and Kay W. “I love oven-roasted sweet potatoes with just a sprinkle of brown sugar!” says Debbie H. “The calorie count is great and I can include a traditional dish from my childhood without all the syrupy nastiness that prevented me from eating it.”
Meanwhile, Kay W. says that she prefers a fresh fruit platter. “Because melons and pineapple are out of season so they’re quite a treat around the holidays, and grapes are good, juicy snacks that I can pick at and feel good about what I’m eating.”
Kim M. also prefers meatless foods for low-calorie eating, but she doesn’t munch on fruits or vegetables. “It’s not a dish, really, but I love mixed nuts in the shell,” says Kim M. “There’s something really satisfying about getting out those crackers and splitting them open, and they’re awesome nibbles!”
To end our roundup, dieter Angel S. says that she goes with a natural holiday favorite as a low-calorie way to stack on track. “Turkey is my favorite part and it’s low in calories for meat,” writes Angel S. “I associate it with the holidays because we can’t afford to buy the real deal all year long.”
Dieters: Now it’s your turn to weigh in. What are your favorite low-calorie holiday dishes? Or do you allow yourself to splurge during the holiday season? Let us know your thoughts below.
Source:
Personal interview