By JORDAN HOSTETLER
It’s time to start planning healthy meals to celebrate the holidays! We all know that the holidays can lead to extra caloric intake, but what if we could have the same or similar meals without the typical holiday weight gain?
Huffington Post’s studies show a one to two-pound increase in weight over the holiday season, with a higher weight gain in individuals who are already overweight. Portion control is an important factor to take into account, as we tend to get excited, load up our plate, and eat so quickly that we do not give our bodies or brains time to digest the food that we have consumed.
It takes about 20 minutes to fully digest food and send signals to our brain that we are full, which is why it is important to control our rate of consumption. Healthy cooking may seem difficult or time consuming, but there are many ways to prepare healthier holiday meals by baking, broiling, boiling, grilling, poaching, roasting, sautéing and steaming. Be sure to limit any type of frying with oils or butter, as those ingredients add excess calories and saturated fats to the meal.
Do not get discouraged throughout this process, as you can do anything you put your mind to! Happy Holidays!
For more information, visit the following websites: https://www.cherokee.org/AboutTheNation/Culture/CookBook/ThanksgivingDinner.aspx
https://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/whats-in-season-fall
Hostetler, a student at Lenoir-Rhyne University, is a nutrition intern at Cherokee Indian Hospital.
