The Twelve Days of a Skinny Christmas

We all know too well how the joyous twelve days of Christmas can be followed by a New Year battling any bulge we’ve accumulated through too many French hens or partridges in a pear tree. So to keep you healthy and trim while still enjoying the holidays, below are twelve days of tips for eating well and staying lean during December and beyond. 

1. On the first day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… keep the rum in the eggnog at one point five ounces or less. The standard serving size for a drink is one and a half ounces for spirits, five ounces for wine and twelve ounces for beer. The calories here can add up faster than Santa’s sleigh.

  2. On the second day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… have two glasses of milk a day, and no this can’t include eggnog! Some research suggests sticking to two low fat cups of milk (2% milk fat or less) each day can help with weight, especially around the waistline.

3. On the third day of Christmas the dietitian said to me… have a minimum of three meals a day. You can even try four to five smaller, more frequent meals. The idea here is not to skip meals and ‘save room’. Skipping meals is like playing Scrooge with your metabolism. It’s doesn’t work to your favor, and over time a once speedy, healthy metabolism can end up working to your disadvantage.

4. On the fourth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me…eat from all four food groups each day and  each meal. I.e. holiday breakfast pancakes topped with fruit, vanilla yogurt and sliced almonds are better than just pancakes with syrup. Eating foods from each at every meal, and every day, ensures you get a mix of nutrients through the day to keep you healthy and full.

5.  On the fifth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… be like the nine ladies dancing. In addition to eating well, be active for a minimum of thirty minutes five days a week.

6.  On the sixth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… eat well and according to the food guide six to seven  days a week, but be sure to give yourself day or two for treats as well. Plan ahead so you can fit in ‘treats’ around your healthy eating menu.

7. On the seventh day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… be realistic! Research tells us new year resolutions rarely last longer than a seven days. Plan to eat smart over the holidays and choose ‘treats’ and ‘extras’ wisely. Take into account day six with this, and that way there is no guilty feeling provoking you to make a new year’s eating resolution.

 
8. On the eighth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… Ensure eight hours a night of sleep minimum to keep the metabolism clock in check. There are many interesting links between sleep and weight, but on average, people who sleep a minimum of eight hours, tend to fare better on the   
 scales.

9. On the ninth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… drink enough fluids. That’s eight to nine cups of fluid a day for the ladies. Men will need two to three glasses more. Any fluids, including water, milk, juice, tea and coffee can count, just not alcohol.

10. On the tenth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… don’t forget those fruits and veggies. Adults need anywhere from seven to ten servings of fruit or vegetables a day. These colorful low calorie foods fill us up and keep the waistline trim.
 

11. On the eleventh day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… try a naturally sweet low calorie treat. Eleven festive options include: clementines, pomegranates, dried figs, dark chocolate, dried cranberries, baked apples with cinnamon, hot cocoa, chocolate dipped strawberries, biscotti, roasted or spiced nuts, and Santa hats (strawberries upside down with a hat of whipped cream). All jammed packed with nutrition, and have a naturally sweet taste minus the extra calories.

12. On the twelfth day of Christmas, the dietitian said to me… make small changes. Cutting 120 calories a day can equal a one pound weight loss per month. 120 doesn’t seem like a lot in the run of a day, and over time it can really add up. What does that look? Six Hershey kisses, thirty Reese’s pieces, two small York peppermint patties, a medium sized cookie, or about twelve potato chips.

As seen in The Telegram December 10, 2012

NL Holiday Food Safety 101

As we enter into the month of December, the season of holiday cooking and gift giving, food safety is something we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. So much to do with this time of year has to do with food.  Entertaining with food and drink at home, attending work parties and socials, and buying and receiving delicious holiday gifts. If one thing is for certain, it is that December is a month for food, and plenty of it.

When preparing your own food, keep in mind foods which can be potentially hazardous. If making holiday eggnog with raw egg, be sure to cook the mixture thoroughly to a minimum temperature of 63 degrees Celsius. There’s no amount of Screech that can kill any bad bacteria like Salmonella! When using raw eggs, cooking to a minimum internal temperature is really the only way. Give ample time for that turkey to defrost too. Thawing on the counter is not a good method as room temperature is an ideal breeding ground for microbes. The fridge is the ideal thawing mechanism for this sort of large food. A general rule of thumb is to allow one day for every four pounds of meat. Stuffing has the potential to be a hazardous food for bacteria growth as it insulates the bird and may prevent it from reaching a proper internal cooking temperature (85 degrees Celsius). Cook stuffing separate from the bird to ensure maximal food safety. Be mindful of bacteria buffets. A lot of food can float around during the holidays. If food is kept out and unrefrigerated for more than two hours it should be thrown out. If refrigerated leftovers aren’t used or frozen within three days, it’s wise to discard these too. A food borne illness can keep you near the bathroom for days, and worse yet, in the hospital. Either way, neither is a fun way to spend the holidays.

Be mindful of homemade holiday gifts. Although it be healthy, and have that extra though put in, a homemade oil and garlic mixture can in reality be downright deadly. In their separate states, oil and garlic aren’t considered to be hazardous, but when combined they have potential to be a recipe for disaster. Garlic, which is grown in the ground, has the potential to have specific microorganisms which when added to an environment without air (e.g. oil) can create a breeding ground for a deadly food borne intoxication known as botulism. If you are in the practice of home canning goodies to give to friends and family, be sure you are aware of safe food handling practices for canning. Botulism can be an unwanted visitor in home canning as well. Should you decide to mail a perishable gift, make sure the food is frozen solid or refrigerator cold. Use an insulated cooler with gel ice packs, label the package as ‘perishable, keep refrigerated’. Don’t forget to notify your gift recipient of their impending package too.

If restaurant and take-out gift certificates are an item on your holiday shopping list, be sure to check out the new government site which now features food safety inspection reports from all eating establishments across the province. Here you can find information on critical and non-critical safety and compliance for preferred eateries, from routine inspections, consumer complaints, and inspections for food recalls or food borne illness and infection outbreaks.  Before you purchase that gift card, take a moment to locate the report on that favorite eating establishment. Visit http://www.servicenl.gov.nl.ca/inspections/index.html for more information.

As seen in The Telegram December 3, 2012