Around the holidays, you should strive to maintain your weight. This is not the time to begin a weight loss program. The challenge is to make healthier eating choices, while not depriving yourself of the great food, company, or traditions of the holiday season.

ITPCC’s very own Alanna Cabrero has developed strategies to help you stay healthy over the holiday season. Choose one or all steps. Most importantly, stay healthy and enjoy the holiday season!

1.) Plan ahead. A hungry stomach will eat anything! So, don’t skip meals before heading to a holiday dinner. Eat small nutrient-rich meals, preferably with protein, which helps you feel full longer. Some examples are: half cup of tuna with a handful of whole wheat crackers, vegetable wraps, a cup of turkey chili, or a cup of Greek yogurt with fruit.

2.) Don’t graze and avoid mindless snacking. Only eat while sitting down and eating from a plate. People tend to “not count” foods that they eat while standing or walking past the buffet. These calories can add up and lead to unwanted weight gain.

3.) Chew slowly and enjoy the meal. Chew your food at least ten times per bite. This allows you to taste the different flavors, enjoy the aroma, and especially slow down. This will help you eat less leading to lower calorie consumption.

4.) Focus on non-food traditions. Holidays are not just about food, they are also about socializing with old friends, getting together with family, or meeting new people.

5.) Take control of your environment. It is hard to control everything about the holiday season, but take advantage of those aspects of your environment that you can control. Avoid wearing baggy clothing, standing next to the buffet, and filling your glass with wine or soda when it is half full. Strategies such as chewing gum to avoid overeating, using smaller serving dishes, and sipping from smaller glasses may be helpful.

6.) Keep it moving! Exercise raises your metabolism. It also helps increase your energy during this busy time period. Make time for exercise by taking a brisk walk, using the stairs or doing a few yoga poses during your lunch break. Make an effort to commit to 30 minutes three times a week during the holiday season. If you do not have a routine exercise regimen, choose the stairs and walk to events as much as possible.

7.) Be creative with your leftovers and don’t be wasteful. Use them to your advantage. Take a turkey salad to work or make baked whole wheat pasta with turkey slices and leftover vegetables for dinner.

8.) Start new traditions and refine your favorite holiday recipes with simple replacement strategies. Some traditions are meant to be kept, but others need a healthy makeover. The table provides you with some simple replacement ideas. See revised eggnog recipe.

Instead of .	Choose .. ..
White bread and white rice	Whole grain bread and whole grains
Full fat dairy products	Low-fat dairy products
Fried chicken, turkey with skin, red meat, or pork	Fish, chicken or turkey (no skin), and more veggie dishes
Vegetable oil, butter, shortening	Olive (oleic acid), canola, or flax seed oil
Condiments that are high in fat i.e. mayonnaise, high in sugar i.e. ketchup	Spices: garlic, oregano, parsley, mint, ginger, cinnamon, basil, tumeric, rosemary
Sweetened drinks: soda, juice, sports drinks like Gatorade, or energy drinks like Red Bull	Water, seltzer, seltzer with juice

Christine Grimaldi, PhD and Debbie Hughes Ndao, MPH will be hosting a workshop at Exhale Spa in NYC. The goal of the workshop is to teach patients and practitioners alike, many who already work with patients with cancer, how to properly care for oncology patients during and after their treatment. The workshop will be held in a New York Exhale location on Friday, January 14th and Saturday, January 15th, 2011. If you wish to learn more, click here or contact Debbie at dh493@columbia.edu. 

Benefit Core Fusion and Body Mantra Yoga Class for Children with Cancer with Elisabeth Halfpapp & Christine Grimaldi

The benefit class will take place on Saturday, January 15th, 2011 from 5pm-6:30pm. It will include 45 minutes of Core Fusion and 45 minutes of Body Mantra. Light snacks will be provided by Candle Café, NY. The benefit will also raise awareness for an ongoing donation class that will occur monthly, on the first Friday of every month. All proceeds from the class will benefit The Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer.

Price: $150