Moderation is Key for Healthy Holiday Eating

"The holidays are not a time to try to lose weight because festivities are often centered around lots of food and drinks," says Lynne Scott, a registered dietitian and director of the Diet Modification Clinic at Baylor College of Medicine. "By simply maintaining your weight during the holidays, you should consider yourself successful."

Scott recommends eating before you go to parties to avoid snacking on refreshments that are usually high in calories and fat. She suggests that you survey the entire buffet table before making your selection and choose moderate portions.

Scott also says beware of sweets. Just because an item is fat-free does not mean it's calorie-free. "People tend to think they can eat all they want if the food is fat-free. But usually the calories in the fat-free item are close to the same as those in its fattening counterpart," she says.

- From Baylor College of Medicine

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Courtesy of Texas Medical Center News

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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URL: http://www.tmc.edu/health_briefs/12_15_98-moderation.html