• Don’t deny yourself. If you pass on a small slice of pecan pie, you may end up eating the rest of the pie the next day.
• Be selective. While you need to satisfy yourself, you can not gorge on every dish. Survey the whole table of food and try to select the more unusual items. Don’t waste lots of calories and fat from chips and dip, which are commonplace throughout the year.
• Eat regular meals- especially breakfast. Skipping meals will only set you up to overeat later in the day. If you want to overindulge at dinner, make sure breakfast and lunch are light.
• Cook low-fat foods. Making your traditional recipes with smaller amounts of ingredients like margarine and sugar will make them healthier without sacrificing much of the flavor.
• Don’t go to a party hungry. Grabbing a snack, such as a salad, beforehand can help prevent overeating.
• Eat smaller portions of your favorite holiday foods. The first and second bite of food is really only what you truly remember; after the third bite it is unconscious eating.
• Slow down your eating. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to tell your stomach you are full. So, if you are eating meals in less than 20 minutes or snacks in less than 10 minutes you need to slow down.
• Take it easy with alcohol. How many parties do you realistically expect to attend in the holiday season? Two or three a week? If you drink two glasses of liquor at each of those parties, by the end of the season, you will have drunk more than a half a pound of extra weight. 
• Don’t be too hard on yourself if you overeat one meal. Just move on and go lower-fat the rest of the day.
• Be active. Exercise is typically the first thing to give way during the busy holiday season. Build 30 minutes a day of physical activity into your routine, and make it a priority.
• Enjoy the holiday spirit. Most important of all: don’t focus on eating so much; enjoy celebrating with family and friends.

Tips for healthy holiday recipes

• Use two egg whites in place of one egg.
• Try dried fruit instead of nuts.
• Use 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon of oil in place of baking chocolate.
• Replace cream or whipping cream with evaporated skim milk.
• Try substituting an equal amount of applesauce for at least half the oil, margarine or butter for muffins and quick breads like banana bread.
• For dips, sauces and pie toppings, use non-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream.
• Top casseroles with almonds instead of fried onions.
• Choose reduced-fat cheeses for salads and casseroles.
• Use ½ the recommended sugar for recipes, or use a sugar substitute.

Subtle modifications can improve your recipe’s nutrition content without compromising taste.

HAPPY HEALTHY HOLIDAYS!!!!
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