I am a true southern girl who loves to entertain. I have to admit, holiday and party foods are my favorite. However, to entertain without the weight gain, during the holidays, can be a challenge. With the average weight gain for Americans of 7-12 pounds from Thanksgiving to Christmas, it is crucial to have a plan to avoid those extra pounds.

Planning how to eliminate the temptation to indulge is just as important as planning the party itself.  Here are a few of my strategies.

THE PREPARATION

• Eat healthy the day of the party

Don’t let the time get away from you with all of the baking, cooking, cleaning, decorating and errands and forget about eating.  To avoid starvation and overindulging by the time your guests arrive, be sure to budget time during your day to eat a healthy nutritious meal.

• Prepare healthy options

Have healthier options available and fill most of your plate with foods that are lower in calories to give yourself less room on your plate for the higher calorie treats.

• Prepare your staple items

If you entertain regularly, you probably have those recipes that are a crowd favorite.  Stick to them and maybe try one new thing. Attempting all new recipes can lead to taste testing all day…which leads to extra calories all day. I have a couple of desserts that I know will work every time. No need to sample.

DURING THE PARTY

• Focus on your guests

If you have eaten properly during the day, you will be ready to give all of your attention to your guests.  Enjoy your food, but don’t make it your focus.

• Have smaller plates available

To accommodate all of your guests, having different plate sizes available is a way for every person to control their own portion sizes.  Decide ahead of time that a smaller plate will be your choice.

• Have ‘to-go’ boxes ready

As the hostess, my biggest fear is running out of food so I tend to prepare too much and end up with plenty of leftovers.  However, having them remain overnight can be disastrous. If you can relate, have cute ‘to-go’ boxes ready for anyone who may wish to take some home and get them out of your house.

Don’t fall into the weight gain statistics this year.  Just as you must plan the food and decorations, be sure to plan your strategy to avoid the holiday weight gain as you entertain.

In Good Health,

Crystal