Healthy During the Holidays
Asst. Style Editor Nicole Ocran

Healthy Holiday Recipe: Cranberry Cream Cheese 1/3 cup of cranberry chutney 1/2 pound reduced-calorie cream cheese (room temperature) 1/2 pint half-skim ricotta cheese 2 teaspoons of mild-taste honey (clove) Puree cream cheese, ricotta, and honey until very smooth in a blender. Spoon into serving bowl. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 12 hours. Spoon cranberry chutney over cream cheese mix before serving. Makes 12 to 16 servings. Taken from fitnessfreebies.com

There is no better way to ring in the holiday season than having dinner at an uncomfortable family get-together, wining and dining at glamorous cocktail parties, indulging your taste buds in an opulent restaurant, or even just spending a lovely evening at home by yourself munching. This time of year, it is easy to pack on the pounds and eat yourself into a coma, but here are some healthy eating tips to keep in mind while you indulge.

Eat before you go out:
Eat breakfast, have a snack, or have a light lunch before you go out to run holiday errands, get last minute gifts, or even before you go out to a party. You won’t be starving all day and that way you won’t be as eager to scarf down everything in sight. 

Regulate your portions:
Party platters are the enemy of portion control. Just a bite is all you need really, especially of the sweet treats and fried foods. Try to keep it as low-cal as you can with vegetables, fruits and salads. 

Gravy—the silent killer:
It is so easy to load up on the gravy, especially with it topping your mashed potato volcano and your leg of turkey, but that means your food will be swimming in high-fat. Salad dressing, cheese dips and butter are also major staple sauces. If they cannot be replaced with cottage cheese, vinaigrette dressing, or yogurt, then they should be used sparingly.

Drinks have calories too:
Keep in mind that eggnog is high in cholesterol, sugar and saturated fat. In fact, many alcoholic beverages such as mixed drinks and champagne have a lot of calories. Seltzer water with lemon or lime is refreshing and low-cal. Soda is not healthy, not even diet soda, so throughout your holiday meals, drink water to help you eat less and feel more full.

It is possible to lose and maintain weight over the holidays, but don’t set unrealistic goals. It’s important to relax, get some sleep, exercise, take a multi-vitamin, and try not to go too crazy. After all, the holidays are supposed to be enjoyed. Don’t spend your time stressing over every detail of your intake. And remember, there’s always the New Year.