Go Ahead and Eat That Drumstick - But Use Your Head

The holiday season need not be a time to sacrifice your favorite foods
CROWN POINT You can overindulge at the dinner table during the holidays and not end up with a belly that shakes like a bowlful of jelly – if you are willing to play by the rules.Dorothy Lindell calls them the “90-10’’ and “1-10’’ rules.

“If you spend your calories within your budget 90 percent of the time, you can splurge the other 10 percent of the time and not pay the price,’’ says Lindell, chief clinical dietitian at Saint Anthony Medical Center.

The caloric budget, she says, should be likened to a bank account.

“You wouldn’t withdraw more money than you have in your savings account, so why spend your calorie budget on what you can’t afford? Look at your price tag of calories. People get obese because they don’t balance their budget.’’

Lindell, who has been a dietitian about 30 years, the last 10 in her current position, recommends visiting the Calorie King Web site (www.calorieking.com) to determine daily limits – and then to sticking to them.

She also suggests the Mayo Clinic site (www.mayoclinic.com) as a source for healthy holiday food and beverage suggestions.

The average American gains seven to 11 pounds from Thanksgiving through Easter, Lindell says.

“I feel badly for people who come in before Halloween to lose weight. It is difficult. There’s the Halloween candy, then Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, the Super Bowl, then Easter. People don’t start eating better until March and April,’’ Lindell says. The holidays aren’t the only cause of the temptation to overeat. Some of it is induced by a craving for sunlight that can result in Seasonal Affective Disorder; some of it is caused by stress.

“The human being is an animal that craves carbohydrates. They are needed for you to think, to work … During winter, with the shorter days, activity is lower for a huge portion of people. The lack of sunlight causes you to become a little sloppy. The craving for snacks can become addictive,’’ Lindell says.

That’s where the 1-10 rule comes in.

“A feeling of 1 in your stomach means you’re starving, while 10 means you’re stuffed. Stop eating when you’re at a 5 or a 6. Listen for the quiet, small voice that says, ‘I’ve had enough,’ ” Lindell suggests.

Stress also can cause cravings for sweets – and worse.

“We need stress to help us make deadlines, to get things done. But, stress is meant to be short-term. Too much of it can kill you.’’

Exercise and time off are antidotes to pressure.

“Get on the treadmill; take a vacation. We need to get rid of excess stress chemicals,’’ Lindell says. Lindell also points out that starving yourself all day so you can gorge yourself at a holiday meal is a recipe for disaster.

“I call it the Chicago-rush-hour effect – you’re jammed up with food, but it isn’t going anywhere. After a huge meal, calories aren’t burned fast enough. It is hard on the heart and liver. You can clog your arteries and cause obesity, if you eat too much at once.’’ Lindell’s advice is to fuel up before the stomach feels empty.

“Have a nutritional snack before the get-together -- don’t go if your craving is at a 2. Once there, look over the buffet. Have one or two things you enjoy and leave the rest behind.’’She also recommends drinking an 8-ounce glass of water before the party “so you don’t gulp down the cocktails’’ and to “have a big glass of water before each drink.’’

“The party is not just about food and drink; it’s about conversation and interaction.’’Lindell believes resolving to wait until “after the holidays’’ to begin healthier habits is a mistake.

“Don’t wait until January to exercise. Play outside a couple of evenings a week. Ideally, you should exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week, with a combination of cardio (three days) and resistance (two days),’’ she says.

“There also are Sit and Be Fit programs for people who can’t get around well. All exercise burns calories.’’

Being smart in mind and body and not subscribing to diet fads are other keys to health success, Lindell says.

“Diets don’t work. You need a lifestyle of eating healthy and regular exercise. It’s what you do 90 percent of the time that counts. The other 10 percent doesn’t matter. You can still enjoy the holidays – maybe you won’t lose weight, but you won’t gain it, either.’’