Happy Thanksgiving! Weight Watching Tips for the Holiday Season

Thanksgiving is two days away, and many dieters face the anxiety of all the food that will be available at family gatherings.  They aren't wrong.  Studies have shown that people tend to add one to two pounds of weight between Thanksgiving and New Years.

What to do then?  Here are some tips to keep in mind for sticking to your diet during the holidays

1) Stick to your same breakfast and lunch.  If you go out for a big brunch or a big lunch, you are going to have to cut way back on your holiday dinner.  To not offend Aunt Verdell by not eating the sweet potato fluff at dinner, don't blow out your calories at brunch earlier in the day.

2) Mind your cocktails.  Yes, alcohol makes the holidays more festive for many, but alcohol represents empty calories.  Many cocktails contain hundreds of calories each (margaritas, in particular), so sticking to wine spritzers and continuing to drink water throughout the day will help to reduce total calorie consumption at parties and family gatherings.

3) Remember how to portion out your plate.  Although there are many yummy starch side dishes during the holidays, your plate should be allocated 25% meat, 25% starch and 50% salads and green side dishes.  You can have a small taste of everything on the holiday table and not blow your diet if you keep your perspective on your plate and how much of each food group you are eating.

Enjoying the holidays and all they have to offer does not mean having to move up a pant size in January if you take a few steps early on to be mindful of how you are eating and drinking.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Nightshades, Cocktails and Gluten Intolerance

I got a question recently about nightshades and whether it was okay to eat them.  I had not heard that there were any problems so I did a little homework and found these articles, that claims some people may react to the alkaloids in some foods. The percentage of people with reactions is quite low, and both articles indicate that if you find you react to them, you should eat them in moderation.  Nightshade plants include tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant and peppers.

http://tribes.tribe.net/diymedicine/thread/59372cfb-1aab-4763-86cd-95930b8859ff

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/nightshades/

This is a very funny article, written by a man, about what NOT to drink when you hit the bars on the weekend:  Cocktails that are Sabotaging Your Diet http://www.craveonline.com/lifestyle/article/five-drinks-that-are-sabotaging-your-diet-109715

I also got a question about going gluten free, and whether that was a good thing for everyone.  I was told by a doctor once that I had a gluten intolerance, and I will tell you it is very difficult to give up all gluten in your life.  However, if you want to experiement, give it up for a couple weeks and see if you feel better.  Gluten Intolerant and Celiac Disease, How to Know and What to Do http://www.crestonnewsadvertiser.com/articles/ara/2010/08/17/8041050101/index.xml

Finally, the FTC had done something about all these crazy on line ads for Acai Berry products and ordered internet sales to cease.  Federal Trade Commission Orders Acai Berry Marketers to Halt Internet Sales http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/court-orders-internet-marketers-of-acai-berry-weight-loss-pills-and-colon-cleansers-to-stop-deceptive-advertising-and-unfair-billing-practices-100766874.html