Party Smarter: 9 Stay-Trim Tricks for Holiday Food Fests - part 1
The holidays are all about best intentions: finish shopping early, mail those cards on time, and survive the annual fat-filled feeding frenzy. Sorry, we can’t lick envelopes or shop for you, but we can arm you with these nine eat-smart tips for indulging without gaining weight.
1. Be a food snob
Don’t waste precious calories on blasé fare like chips or crackers. At parties, follow the lead of Leslie Kelly, 48, a restaurant reviewer in Memphis, and try a decadent hors d’oeuvre or the host’s signature dish. “I always pick the special items that have lots of love poured into them, take just a small amount, and savor every bite,” Kelly says. When you discover something that’s not-so-wonderful, though, ditch it (but do it discreetly, of course).
2. Step away from the table
If you don’t put your choices on a plate, “you have no idea how much you’re really eating,” says Barbara Rolls, PhD, a Pennsylvania State University nutrition professor and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. “The worst thing you can do at a party is stand around the table dipping into the bowl.”
3. Veg out
At the start of a buffet, pile the greens and other tasty veggies on your plate, leaving just a little room for those high-calorie treats like sweets and cheeses. In a survey of more than 7,000 adults, Rolls found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables were the least likely to be obese, even when they ate more food overall.
4. Pare down those portions
Choose the smallest plate possible, suggests Brian Wansink, PhD, a Cornell University professor of nutrition science and marketing. In researching how the eye tricks the stomach, he’s found that whether it’s Chex Mix, pasta, or even stale popcorn, the bigger the bowl, plate, or package, the more you’re likely to eat.
5. Don’t talk with your mouth full
One of the best ways to keep from stuffing yourself at a big family dinner is great conversation, says Rick Bell, ScD, an adjunct associate nutrition professor at Tufts University. But, like Mom says, finish chewing before you start chatting. “When you eat and talk at the same time, you’re not really paying attention,” Bell explains. Plus, you look pretty gross.
1. Be a food snob
Don’t waste precious calories on blasé fare like chips or crackers. At parties, follow the lead of Leslie Kelly, 48, a restaurant reviewer in Memphis, and try a decadent hors d’oeuvre or the host’s signature dish. “I always pick the special items that have lots of love poured into them, take just a small amount, and savor every bite,” Kelly says. When you discover something that’s not-so-wonderful, though, ditch it (but do it discreetly, of course).
2. Step away from the table
If you don’t put your choices on a plate, “you have no idea how much you’re really eating,” says Barbara Rolls, PhD, a Pennsylvania State University nutrition professor and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. “The worst thing you can do at a party is stand around the table dipping into the bowl.”
3. Veg out
At the start of a buffet, pile the greens and other tasty veggies on your plate, leaving just a little room for those high-calorie treats like sweets and cheeses. In a survey of more than 7,000 adults, Rolls found that those who ate the most fruits and vegetables were the least likely to be obese, even when they ate more food overall.
4. Pare down those portions
Choose the smallest plate possible, suggests Brian Wansink, PhD, a Cornell University professor of nutrition science and marketing. In researching how the eye tricks the stomach, he’s found that whether it’s Chex Mix, pasta, or even stale popcorn, the bigger the bowl, plate, or package, the more you’re likely to eat.
5. Don’t talk with your mouth full
One of the best ways to keep from stuffing yourself at a big family dinner is great conversation, says Rick Bell, ScD, an adjunct associate nutrition professor at Tufts University. But, like Mom says, finish chewing before you start chatting. “When you eat and talk at the same time, you’re not really paying attention,” Bell explains. Plus, you look pretty gross.
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