The yom tovim are here again, a time for personal reflection. We think about our past deeds: those we should maintain, some that might need amends, and we vow to do better in the future. Reflection can also include thoughts regarding health and wellness.
It’s important to take care of your body. When it comes to caring for your body, how have you ranked yourself this year? Have you been watching your diet and eating healthy? Have you been exercising regularly? Is your weight in check? Being within ideal body weight (IBW) range and normal body mass index (BMI) are important for health, wellness and longevity. If you think your health is in jeopardy, this is a great time to make a New Year’s resolution to do better. Read on…
With the upcoming yom tovim, weight control can be a challenge. We prepare delicious recipes and take pride in making wonderful dishes for guests to enjoy. With the start of Rosh Hashanah and ending with Simchat Torah we enter a long holiday season of seudah after seudah. Customary seudot are important and enjoyable but can be fattening and can lead to unhealthy weight gain.
As an experienced dietitian who has helped hundreds of people lose excess body weight, I can assure you that the yom tovim do not have to be a disaster for a weight loss effort. You can prepare tasty holiday cuisine using healthy calorie-wise ingredients, control your portion sizes and caloric intake, and keep your weight and health in check. Let’s explore!
Realistically, losing weight over the Jewish holidays is very difficult. There’s a lot of temptation to overindulge and not a lot of time to exercise between holidays. Therefore, I recommend that over the upcoming yom tovim, your goal should be to maintain your current weight, even if you are overweight. If you can make it through Rosh Hashanah through Simchat Torah with weight maintenance, it’s a win. If you happen to lose weight over the holiday season, kol hakavod!
Tips to Get Through the Seudahs Without Gaining Weight
Appetizers
Many of our rituals include food—dipping apples in honey (challah too) and consuming fatty and sweet cuisine to reflect the hope for a healthy, happy and prosperous new year. It is hard to control the desire to overeat yummy holiday food.
Caution: Challah is a carbohydrate that varies in caloric value depending on how it is prepared. Be careful of portion sizes, especially if you are a diabetic. A slice of challah is considered one starch exchange, like a slice of bread. Therefore, be aware of challah binging behavior especially if you are putting honey or dips on your challah.
Many generous hosts prepare a whole slew of appetizers such that the appetizers become an entire meal. Remember, appetizers are supposed to whet the appetite. Often served is chopped liver, fish, soup and a variety of salads. Do you really require all these food items as appetizers to start your seudah? Instead cut back and prepare two appetizers. Keep a fresh salad as an option for the calorie- and weight-conscious. Offer low calorie dressings. Drizzle salad dressings over salads for calorie control.
The Meal
Eat slowly. Put down silverware between bites. Chew food thoroughly, mindfully, and savor the tastes and textures of foods you are consuming. This allows the brain and stomach to communicate fullness, aids digestion, and allows for a more enjoyable experience. You might find that you are full shortly after the main meal begins.
Concentrate on conversation and relationships during meals instead of overeating.
Drink low-calorie fluids during meals: ice water, seltzer and/or a diet beverage. This will help fill you up and prevent overindulging.
Follow the “Rule of One.” Fill your plate with portion size control selections. No second helpings!
If you are hosting a meal, make sure to provide low-calorie, high-nutrient fresh steamed or roasted vegetables as side dishes.
Dessert
Scrumptious high-calorie desserts are a big diet challenge for sure. You can try to not even look at the yummies because they will make you salivate, encourage the urge, and weaken self-control. Instead, go for the healthier lower-calorie fresh fruit. Sip a hot beverage to help achieve satiety. If you take a high-calorie item for dessert, have a modest portion.
After dessert, invite company to join you away from the dining room table to continue calorie-free conversation.
Emotional Eating Challenge
Do you ever feel hungry shortly after a hearty meal? That’s an “emotional desire” to eat and not true hunger. Distraction helps the feeling pass. Step outside for some fresh air, read, set the table for the next meal or go to sleep. Do anything but stay out of the kitchen away from the food.
Avoiding emotional eating temptation is difficult but not impossible. It takes recognition. If hungry after a seudah ask yourself if you are truly hungry or just want a nosh. Letting the feeling pass requires practice and brain training. If you get used to not eating emotionally it will eventually stop.
Invited Out for a Meal?
Share your holiday weight-control challenge with the host. A caring host will not want to jeopardize your health goals. Perhaps the host will be happy to serve a healthier meal that is calorically wise and encourage you to be successful in your weight-loss effort.
Other Tips
Keep hydrated. This helps prevent cravings and maintains energy. It is also important for general health and wellness.
Get essential and much-needed rest. Adequate sleep prevents cravings, keeps energy up, and is important for general health and well-being.
Healthy Holiday Recipe Ideas to Consider
- Reduce or cut back on the fat content of recipes by a third. The final product will still be delicious.
- Lightly fry chicken or fish to brown, pat off excess oil and bake till done. Avoid high-calorie sweet, sour and salty sauces. Roast proteins with fresh herbs and spices. These are loaded with healthy natural chemicals. Use unsweetened cooking wines.
- Steam, bake or grill fresh vegetables. Flavor with either Pam spray (zero calories) or olive oil and your favorite spices.
- Reduce the sugar or honey content of baked goods. Incorporate fresh fruit, fruit juice or fruit puree instead.
- For chicken- or meat-based soups, remove fat/schmaltz as it cooks. Cool and refrigerate. Before serving, remove remaining fat on top.
- Reduce salt by cooking with wine, vinegar, citrus juices or salt-free spice blends.
- Avoid high-calorie dairy products for baked goods. Instead use low-fat dairy products.
- Always read labels for nutrient and caloric content of food products. Be an educated shopper!
Keep Active During the Yom Tovim
There’s not a lot of time between holidays and Shabbat but you can:
- Walk off your holiday meals. Walk alone or if preferred invite a companion. This is a great way to expend calories and boost metabolism. Just do it! There’s plenty of time to nap and sleep over Shabbat and Yom Tov.
- In between the yom tovim make time to work out. Lift weights and keep the aerobic workouts. Exercise builds muscle mass, burns fat, controls weight, and keeps the body healthy.
- Center yourself and keep stress down with yoga, tai chi or stretching exercises.
- Prevent craving by getting enough rest, sleep and keeping hydrated.
General Thoughts
During busy holiday times it is important to take care of yourself. Take control of your diet by preparing and serving healthy foods, watch portion sizes, and control calorie intake. Practice mindful eating. Make time for exercise to burn calories and keep metabolism efficient. Center your emotions with stress-reduction activities. Consume adequate fluids for proper hydration and get enough sleep to avoid cravings.
If you need diet, fitness and stress relief support, Nutrition Transformations can help you sail through the currents of the holiday food fest. Start your Rosh Hashanah resolution to better your life by eating healthy, achieving desired body weight, and getting fit this new year. Our practice can offer weight-loss medication and work with insurances. Call now for an appointment. Don’t wait; you are worth it.
Yours in good health and Shana Tova!
Jenn
Founder of Nutrition Transformations
718-644-1387
Send questions to Jenn. See my new holiday blog.
