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This Thanksgiving, Pass On The Guilt

Tribune photo by SCOTT ISKOWITZ

A healthy snack eaten before partaking in that big meal can curb your appetite.

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By MARY SHEDDEN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 20, 2008

Want to avoid a heaping scoop of guilt at your Thanksgiving gathering?

Well, 4you is here to help. We asked fitness, nutrition, weight-loss, and mental health authors and experts how to lessen the toll this food-centric holiday can take on our waistlines and spirits.

We didn't want detailed battle plans for action, instead we asked for the simplest low-stress solutions for dealing with culinary abundance and insane relatives.

So try on one or two of these tips for size and see if they help you maintain your mental and physical well-being throughout the holidays.

COOKING WELL

Be safe: Don't get yourself or your guests sick with improperly prepared food, say the experts at the Food and Drug Administration. Follow these easy rules: Clean hands, foods and utensils; separate foods that can cross-contaminate; cook food completely; and chill leftovers quickly.

Think light: Weight Watchers urges members to bring a healthy dish to a holiday gathering. You'll have at least one guilt-free dish to enjoy, and no one will know the difference.

Mocktails, not cocktails: Avoid alcohol and its abundant calories by drinking water or nonalcoholic beverages. Use sugar-free or low-calorie sodas to keep your wits and your waistline in shape.

Make substitutions: Classic recipes can be tweaked for a lower-calorie option, says Brenda Ponichtera, author of "Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas" (ScaleDown Publishing, $18.95). "Make a fat-free dressing by substituting broth for the margarine or butter in your recipe," she says. "It tastes just as good. You can also add more celery and onion to your recipe to increase the vegetables and further reduce the calories per serving."

EATING RIGHT

Eat before you meet: A healthy snack eaten before a big meal can curb your appetite and help you make better choices, says Emily Lisciandro, a clinical dietitian at The Ohio State University Medical Center. Also, try sipping on a beverage or chewing gum to avoid excessive nibbling.

Don't love it? Don't eat it: "Save your appetite and your calories for the foods you love," says Joanne Lichten, author of "Dining Lean - How to Eat Healthy When You're Not at Home" (NutrifitPublishing, $19.95).

Pace yourself: "Set the timer and make whatever you have on your plate last for 20 minutes, and take a sip of water between each bite," says Susie Shina, an Atlanta area personal trainer. "Slow down and enjoy."

Make water your ally: Water is good for you, and it fills you up. "Try having a glass of water for each alcoholic beverage you drink," say Janet and Greta Podleski, authors of "Eat, Shrink & Be Merry" (Granet Publishing, $29.95).

Tighten your belt: "And do not loosen it," says Debbie Mandel, author of "Addicted to Stress: A Woman's 7 Step Program to Reclaim Joy and Spontaneity in Life" (Wiley, John & Sons, $22.95). Also, "Sit next to the health-conscious eaters and you will mirror them."

KEEPING FIT

Take a turkey trot: Find a local road race on Thanksgiving morning and make it a family affair. None available? Gather your friends and family and create a route around the neighborhood.

Eat, then move: Get out of your chair and walk for 15 to 30 minutes after eating. Your digestive track will thank you, and you'll avoid some of the post-meal cleanup.

Squeeze in a workout when you can: You don't have to head to the gym to exercise. Do pushups, planks, crunches, squats, lunges and other plyometrics at home, says Lauren Goldberg, a trainer at Peak Performance training facility in New York: "All it takes is a little bit of floor space and a mat, and before you know it, you're working up a sweat."

STAYING SANE

It's just one day: "If you overindulge at a holiday party, put it behind you and return to your usual eating plan the next day without guilt or despair," says Jennifer Ebelhar McDaniel, a registered dietitian and assistant professor at St. Louis University.

Pare down the menu: You don't need to stress over making or buying more food than necessary; focus on one protein, one starch, a veggie and a single dessert. "There's a lot of pressure to serve a big, traditional Thanksgiving meal, but for many people, that's just not financially feasible this year," McDaniel says.

What about you: "People tend to spread themselves thin on Thanksgiving and neglect their needs, and this leads to stress and eventually the use of food as a way to cope," national advice columnist Jonathan Alpert says. "So take care of yourself first and foremost."

Help someone else: Contact a local food bank and focus on providing a meal for a needy family, suggests Ariane Hundt, a personal trainer and nutritionist in New York. Indulge in enriching someone else's life, she says.

Binge on the affirmations: "Before mealtime, take five minutes to list all the things that you love and are grateful for, large and small: finding great jeans on sale, the smell of your newborn baby ... a friend's loyalty, your brother's sense of humor, the gorgeous tree outside your window, etc.," says psychologist Suzanne Zoglio, author of "Create a Life That Tickles Your Soul" (Tower Hill Press, $10). "When we list all that is good, we feel lucky and loved, filled up emotionally."

No-Guilt Thanksgiving Recipes

SAVE-THE-DAY STUFFING
Makes 5 servings

6 slices light bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable), at room temperature
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt, black pepper, rosemary and thyme, to taste
1/4 cup Egg Beaters With Yolk
1 tablespoon light whipped butter or light buttery spread

For best results, leave bread uncovered a night or two, until slightly stale, or lightly toast bread. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium baking dish with nonstick spray and place bread cubes evenly along the bottom of the dish. In a medium pot, combine broth, celery and onions. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat. Remove pot from heat, and add mushrooms and garlic. Season mixture to taste with salt, black pepper, rosemary and thyme. Let cool for a few minutes.

Add Egg Beaters and butter to veggie-broth mixture and stir. Pour mixture into the baking pan, evenly covering bread cubes. Mix gently with a fork. Bread cubes should be moist but not saturated. If necessary, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and then mix again. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and fluff and rearrange stuffing. Return dish to oven, uncovered, and cook for an additional 15 minutes.

Source: www.Hungrygirl.com

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT SWEET POTATO PIE
Makes 4 servings

1 large butternut squash (yields 2 cups mashed)
1/2 cup Egg Beaters With Yolk
1/3 cup light vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1/4 cup Splenda (granulated)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use a sharp knife to remove both ends of the squash. Peel squash and cut into large chunks, removing seeds. Fill a large, microwave-safe dish with 1/2 inch of water. Place squash into the dish and cover. Microwave for about 8 minutes, and then drain (squash should be tender enough to mash, but not overcooked). With a potato masher, food processor or fork, mash squash thoroughly. Measure out 2 generous cups, lightly packed, and place in a baking dish.

Add all ingredients except for the marshmallows to the dish. Mix ingredients thoroughly, but do not over-stir (squash should still be pulpy). Bake in the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until solid and not liquid. Top the "pie" with mini marshmallows. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until marshmallows begin to brown. Allow to cool before serving.

Source: www.Hungrygirl.com

CHEERY CHERRY COBBLER
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon brown sugar (not packed)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons Splenda (granulated), divided
3 cups halved and pitted sweet cherries, fresh or thawed
4 sheets (16 crackers) low-fat honey graham crackers
2 tablespoons Egg Beaters With Yolk
2 tablespoons no-sugar-added applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2/3 cup of cold water with brown sugar, cornstarch, salt and half of the Splenda, stir well. In a medium pot, combine cherries with this mixture. Heat cherry mixture over medium heat, stirring often. Once liquid thickens to a syrup and begins to bubble, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes, then transfer cherry mixture to a medium round baking dish. Set aside.

Break graham crackers into pieces and crush them (either in a food processor or blender, or by placing cracker pieces in a sealable plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin). Transfer crumbs to a microwave-safe dish and add Egg Beaters With Yolk, applesauce, cinnamon and remaining tablespoon of Splenda. Stir well.

Microwave cracker mixture for 1 minute. Use a fork to break up the toughened mixture as much as possible, then allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer cracker mixture to a food processor or blender and pulse until crumbly and uniform. Evenly distribute graham cracker topping over cherries. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Source: www.Hungrygirl.com

APPLETINI MOCKTAIL
Makes seven (4-ounce) servings.

3 cups Fresca® or Sprite Zero™
½ cup sour apple cocktail mixer
Granny Smith apple slices and fresh raspberries for garnish
Combine soda* and sour apple mix. Serve in martini glasses with a floating fresh raspberry and green apple slice.
Per serving: 25 calories, 6 g carbohydrate, 10 mg sodium.

From the Coca-Cola Company

DRI TAI
Makes three 5-ounce servings

1 cup Simple Orange orange juice
1/2 cup Minute Maid Light Limonada-Limeade
3 tablespoons Coke Zero
3 tablespoons grenadine syrup
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
Lime or orange wedges or mint springs for garnish

Stir or shake all ingredients together. Pour over crushed ice, if desired.

Per serving: 85 calories, 21 grams carbohydrates, 20 milligrams sodium, 45 milligrams vitamin C

Source: Coca-Cola Co.

CELEBRATION SPARKLER
Makes six 4-ounce servings

2 cups cold Sprite Zero
1 cup cold white grape sparkling beverage
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Mix beverages. Serve immediately in fluted champagne glasses with raspberry in each glass.

Per serving: 20 calories, 5 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams sodium

Source: Coca-Cola Co.

RASPBERRY PASSION PUNCH

Makes 12 cups

3 cups Minute Maid Enhanced Pomegranate Blueberry 100 percent Fruit Juice Blend
6 cups Minute Maid Light Raspberry Passion
3 cups Fresca
Fresh raspberries and lemon, lime and orange slices for garnish

Combine beverages in a large bowl or pitcher. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish punch bowl or pitcher with fresh raspberries and citrus slices immediately before serving.

Per 1-cup serving: 35 calories, 9 grams carbohydrates, 21 milligrams sodium, 45 milligrams vitamin C.

Source: Coca-Cola Co.

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