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Bill Klaproth (Host): A little nibble here, a little nibble there. Holiday eating adds up. Here to share with us eleven tips for staying healthy around the holidays is Amy Batti, a registered dietician with Chicago Methodist Senior Services. Amy thank you so much for your time. Can’t wait to get into these eleven tips, so let’s start out with number one. Give us tip number one for staying healthy around the holidays.

Amy Batti (Guest): Okay so I like to bring on the vegetables. As a dietician, vegetables are kind of my jam. So, I have to plug them wherever I can. I know it’s tough to make half your plate vegetables which I like to kind of preach, but if there are no vegetables being served at your holiday dinner; you might want to consider bringing a healthy appetizer or vegetable side dish to the festivities. And if you need ideas, I can post some to the CMSS website as well.

Host: Alright Amy, that’s great so pay attention to vegetables. That’s a great first tip. How about number two?

Amy: So, that actually ties in, it’s eat your vegetables first, while we are on the subject of vegies. A lot of my patients find it helpful to eat them first. This means before you enjoy the roasted turkey, glazed ham, savory stuffing and sweet potato pie, have a serving of vegetable that you brought to the party or that was already there, and you might ask why. This makes sure that you actually eat your vegetables before getting full and because vegetables tend to be high in nutrients and fiber; they are a winning combination for overall health.

Host: Well that’s easy to remember. I like that, eat your vegetables first. Okay, number three.

Amy: Number three. Savor each bite. We all know the importance of eating slowly and waiting before going for seconds, mainly because it takes about twenty minutes for your brain to get the signal that you are actually full. So, just remembering to pace yourself, savor each delicious bite and you are more likely to take your time and stop when you have had enough.

Host: And you get to enjoy your food even more by savoring each bite. Okay Amy, how about number four?

Amy: Four, so whenever you are not sure if you are overeating, one question I recommend my patients to ask at different points throughout the meal is am I still enjoying this? And if the answer is yes, then consider continuing to eat. If the answer is no, you also have the option to take a break and then reevaluate the need for more later. So, some of my patients even set a timer for thirty minutes and to see if they are up for more when the timer goes off.

Host: That’s very interesting. Alright, how about number five?

Amy: So, five is do not skip meals. And again, this is a popular strategy for holiday eating especially. So, skipping breakfast and lunch to kind of save all your calories for dinner typically will lead to overeating. So, instead, I recommend having a balanced breakfast with fiber in the form of fruits and vegetables and then enjoy a satisfying lunch at the event.

Host: Do not skip meals. Okay, another great tip. How about number six?

Amy: Eat what you love. So, most of us find it extremely easy to eat something just because it’s there. But, try to be picky with your holiday dinner. Focus on only eating the foods you absolutely love and skip the foods that you are not crazy about and also don’t eat something just because it’s a holiday food. So, if eggnog doesn’t excite you, just skip it.

Host: What if you love a lot of foods? You are in trouble then.

Amy: Well, you can always do a little sampling of each, just be mindful of the portions.

Host: Okay, sampling. Very good. Good tip be mindful of the portions then, portion control. I like it. Okay, number seven.

Amy: Number seven has to do with drinking. So, if you are going to drink alcohol, try to alternate between water and alcohol just to minimize your intake and to make sure to stay hydrated. You can also seriously slash your alcohol calories by using seltzer water as a mixer for hard liquor.

Host: Oh, that’s a good tip. I like that. Alright so, alternate water and alcohol and use the seltzer. Great tip. Alright, how about number eight?

Amy: Eight, resist the urge to fall into a food coma. And how do you do this? Get your walk on. That’s right, walking is one of the healthiest habits you can have during the holidays. Especially after a big meal. There are a bunch of studies that say taking a brisk fifteen to twenty-minute walk after a meal can help ease digestion and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Host: I love that tip. And especially during the holidays, maybe in a fresh snowfall if you live in a northern area and all the great Christmas decorations a nice walk around the block would be beautiful and help you burn off some of those calories and help you not fall into that food coma. Okay, how about number nine?

Amy: Exactly, and in addition to walking, consider incorporating any winter physical activities into your holiday festivities. So, sledding and ice skating are two ways to stay active that the whole family can enjoy. And for those who are in cooler states, maybe shoveling snow can be another great way to get the muscles working and burn off some of the calories.

Host: Okay, some other great outdoor activity tips. Okay, let’s move to number ten.

Amy: So, enjoying dessert and being mindful while you are doing it. Dessert is a beautiful thing and there will likely be endless assortments of cakes, cookies, pies and ice cream at your holiday meal. And I encourage you to have some and enjoy it. And if you want to taste every dessert in attendance; again, consider having a small sampling of each.

Host: Okay, sample those desserts. Okay and number eleven.

Amy: And finally, ditch the guilt. I know that healthy holiday eating can make people anxious but try not to get too worked up. This should be a time of celebration and also relaxation. If you do happen to eat more than planned during the holiday season, don’t beat yourself up. More importantly, don’t let a slip become a fall. If you do go overboard, don’t get stuck in a food rut and try to get back to your healthy eating habits as soon as you can.

Host: Ditch the guilt, number eleven. I love that. Great tip. Well Amy, let me ask you this too while we have you. Do you have any strategies for diabetics to try and stay healthy around the holidays?

Amy: I do actually, so, for diabetics to holiday proof your plan I would encourage you to eat close to your usual times that you are used to, to keep your blood sugar steady. So, if the meal is served later than normal, maybe eat a snack, a small snack at your usual meal time. And then eat a little less when the dinner, lunch or dinner is served. Also, if you are invited to a party, offer to bring your own healthy dish and then if you want a sweet treat, just cut back on other carbs like potatoes or bread during the meal so that you can enjoy the dessert, if that’s your thing. And then again, start with vegetables, kind of take the edge off your appetite. Eat slowly, takes twenty minutes for the brain to realize you are full. And then for diabetics, I do encourage avoiding or limiting alcohol. If you do have an alcoholic drink, I recommend having it with food. Alcohol can lower blood sugar and interact with some diabetes medications. So, just be mindful of that.

Host: Great tips and if you could wrap it up for us. Are there any additional strategies for staying healthy around the holidays and to help keep us from overeating?

Amy: Yup, sure, you can - using a smaller plate for instance allows you to put less food on your plate and encourages proper portion sizes. There have been studies done that when you have a smaller plate, people tend to eat less, not to fill it. Also, controlling your risk for temptation so like clearing your office or home of any tempting holiday goodies and even if you are – if you bake something and you want to keep a small amount for your family and then give the rest away or share it in the form of a gift. And then focus on socializing instead of food. Conversation is calorie free and standing burns more calories than sitting. So, get out and mingle and maybe offer to clean up after the festivities. And then again, after dinner, maybe get in some physical activities, so it’s a great time to go for a walk, catch up with family members, play catch or games with the kids.

Host: I love it. Amy Batti, you are the best. Thank you for those great tips for staying healthy around the holidays. We will certainly put those to work for us. Thank you again Amy, we appreciate it. For more information or to book a tour, you are welcome, please visit www.cmsschicago.org, that’s www.cmsschicago.org. This is Living Well with Chicago Methodist Senior Services. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.