espite our best resolutions, the weight we gain from eating too
much between Thanksgiving and New Year’s seems to be getting
harder and harder to take off. Here are some tips for eating lighter
over the  holidays—and
remember too that small changes add up and will make a difference.
Don’t go hungry.
Eat a healthy breakfast, such as oatmeal, and a normal lunch. Avoid
feeling famished when you sit down for a holiday dinner.
Dinner plate rules. Try filling half of your plate
with vegetables, one quarter with carbohydrates and one quarter
with meat.
Baste your turkey with defatted chicken stock. Rub
it down with a little olive oil, and avoid unnecessary calories
by not eating the turkey skin.
Play up the vegetables and play down the sweets. Instead
of serving sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, try mashing
them with grated orange peel and some cinnamon.
 Make
your own cranberry sauce. The store-bought variety
tends to be high in sugar. You’ll see lots of simple recipes
online and in cookbooks.
Try vegetarian stuffing.
Look for a recipe that calls for whole grain bread, onions, herbs,
apples, celery, raisins, walnuts and other healthy ingredients.
Use stock instead of fat to moisten stuffing.
Cut your gravy portion.
Save a few extra calories simply by having a smaller
portion of gravy, particularly if it was made with high-fat turkey
drippings.
Prepare healthier desserts.
If you make pumpkin pie, try using nonfat evaporated milk to reduce
the calorie content—and if you can’t resist eating desserts,
keep the portions small.
 Drink
water instead. A really simple way to save more than
200 calories is to choose water instead of alcohol or soft drinks.
Snack on whole foods.
Healthy options include unsalted nuts, vegetable crudités
with a low-fat dip, or a platter of fresh fruit.
Make goody bags. Send everyone home with a container
of food, and if you still have leftover turkey, make a pot of soup
with plenty of vegetables. 
—Adapted
from UC Berkeley Wellness Letter and www.HealthCentral.com
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