Every year the amazing culinary skills of our family and friends come out and we find ourselves surrounded by turkeys, pies, and all other sorts of yummy assortments that we can’t help but pile onto our plates. And while we might complain that we are gaining “so much weight,” we continue to reach for our grandma’s best pecan pie.
“My favorite holiday food has to be at Christmas, the Seven Fishes dinner,” shared junior nursing major Aimee O’Neill. “I always eat so much more at the holidays and feel bloated afterward – especially from all of the pasta that my family makes.”
She is not alone in loving her holiday foods. “I can’t stay away from my mammy’s sweet potatoes with marshmallows or the mashed potatoes covered in gravy,” senior accounting major Jacob Levvy said. “There is no way I could ever stop eating either until I am about to puke, and, if there are leftovers, I always call dibs over my brothers.”
When looking into foods that should be avoided during the holidays, it was a pretty big shock to find that everything from the mashed potatoes, to the dark turkey meat, and even fruitcake, was on the list to be avoided. That is, unless you want to be like Joey from Friends and need turkey-eating pants just to make it through your meal. But a study done by the New England Journal of Medicine found that the average person only gains about one pound between Thanksgiving and New Years Day.
“I would have guessed that I gain at least an extra five pounds from all of the food that I eat at Thanksgiving and Christmas, not to count all of the left over cookies that I bring back to school with me,” shared Levvy.
As exciting as it is to hear that we only gain a mere pound from our holiday foods, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, RD, Pat Vasconcellos stated, “Putting on a pound or so every year makes a big difference when you never get around to losing it. In a decade’s time, the effects of nibbling a few cookies here and there may easily add 10 pounds to your frame.”
So what are we to do when Mom keeps piling the yams onto our plate?
Well, don’t be a brat and say no; just make sure to eat everything in moderation. While the list of foods to stay away from at the holidays is longer than your Christmas stocking, everything is okay to eat if eaten in moderation.
Another thing to keep in mind is that we tend to skip meals during the hectic holidays, visiting family, cooking and cleaning, along with all of the other everyday stuff we have to do.
“To help you from overeating at the big feast, remember to eat during the day and try to eat foods that will blunt your hunger such as low-fat yogurt or reduced-fat cheeses,” stated Vasconcello.
So whether you mind the extra pound or not, try to keep from turning into the size of Harry Potter’s Aunt Marge and turn down that fifth helping of eggnog.
*list of foods to avoid and substitutes for them can be found at www.health.com