Avoid The Holiday Weight Gain

Holiday weight gain is a common concern during this time of year.  Everyone is figuring out recipes, baking and spending time sharing meals with family.  Holidays often encourage overeating, sedentary behavior and lots of high calorie and sugary foods. Here are some great tips on how to be active and eat healthier during the holidays:

-Be active with family and friends. Take a family walk together, plan a 5k with your family or play a physical game of football or baseball in your yard with kids and cousins.  A great way to make new memories and stay active.

-Don’t set out a buffet of unhealthy snacks.  Ask family or friends to bring veggie and protein heavy snacks and skip the sweets and chips.

-Portion size is very important when trying to lose weight before or after bariatric surgery.  If you want to enjoy those amazing mashed potatoes or homemade yams, portion size is key.  Put a bite size portion on your plate to taste and enjoy instead of overindulging.  Fill up on the good protein like turkey and healthy veggies and only add small portions of the high calorie/carbs that you crave.  You can still enjoy the holiday food without the extra weight gain.

-Controlling stress levels is so important during the holidays.  There are so many demands on you, but you cant take control.  Try meditating, doing yoga or simply taking a walk or jog.  This will help clear your mind, lower stress levels and help you control your junk food cravings caused by high stress.

-If you are cooking this holiday season, be mindful of taste testing during the process.  Don’t cook while you are hungry.  Make sure you have eaten a meal or some protein before cooking the holiday classics so that you aren’t tempted to over taste them.  You can take a small taste to ensure flavor but don’t overindulge.

-Get plenty of sleep during the holidays.  This may be hard to do but when you don’t get enough sleep, your body tends to be hungrier and you want to consume more.  Less sleep also has been linked to a lower metabolism.

-Limit your sugar and dessert intake.  There are many sweets during the holidays.  If you must have a dessert during the holidays, it is best to focus on only your favorite, don’t be tempted by all of them.  Make sure that you choose a very small portion and eat it slowly which will leave you more satisfied.

-Avoid processed foods when making your holiday dishes.  Items such as boxed mashed potatoes and stuffing often contain sugar and unhealthy fats that take a toll on your weight.  Plan to cook your meals from scratch so you can monitor what you are putting in your body.

Lastly, keep your hunger in check during the holidays.  Make sure you don’t skip meals and you plan ahead.  Stay active, get proper sleep and eat healthy! We are here to support you, call us anytime 817-832-7227.

 

The Teal Pumpkin Project: How to Celebrate Halloween with Non-Food Treats

Halloween is an exciting time of year that typically means candy, costumes, and cold weather. However, the candy that is a common household staple during this time is generally not recommended for the pre-and-post-operative bariatric surgery patient. These sweet treats are highly palatable, so they can be easy to overeat. The extra calories and added sugars can quickly add up and lead to digestive upset or plateaus in your overall weight loss. Although Halloween and several other holidays are highly food focused, this should not stop you from celebrating them! Rather, you can find alternate ways to celebrate while still reaching your weight loss goals.

 

Food Allergy Research & Education, also known as FARE, promotes a worldwide movement known as the Teal Pumpkin Project. This aims to create an inclusive Halloween for everyone, by offering non-food items to trick-or-treaters. This movement can be especially important for children with food allergies or other conditions where candy is not an option. While you may not be a trick-or-treater with food allergies yourself, offering non-food treats may be a good strategy to keep candy out of the house, while still enjoying the festivities with your family, friends, and neighborhood.

To participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project, place a freshly painted teal pumpkin or colorful sign in front of your house to notify trick-or-treaters and their families that you are offering non-food treats. You can also add your home to the Teal Pumpkin Project map and spread the word to your friends and family through word of mouth and social media platforms. There are several options for non-food items that you could give out, including glow sticks, bracelets, pencils, crayons, bubbles, rings, etc., just to name a few! To read more about the Teal Pumpkin Project, visit www.foodallergy.corg

 

As a reminder, if you choose to celebrate Halloween this year, follow the CDC guidelines to keep yourself and others safe: maintain at least six feet of social distancing and always wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose when out in public. If you don’t plan on celebrating Halloween this year, that’s okay, too – you can save these ideas for next year and take the Teal Pumpkin pledge to stay safe at home.

 

Call 817-832-7227 to schedule your appointment and discuss your nutrition in detail.

 

Article provided by: Jessica Wiklund, MS, RD, LD • Registered/Licensed Dietitian for Trinity Bariatric Institute, PLLC

Fall Fruits and Vegetables


Everyone can benefit from eating more fruits and vegetables, as they provide us with a variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. They are generally low calorie, making them a great choice as you continue to reach your weight loss goals through proper nutrition. Aim to include at least one serving of fruit or vegetables at each meal or snack.

When possible, I recommend eating fruits and vegetables that are in season. Eating seasonally means that fresh produce is purchased and eaten near the time that it was harvested. By doing this, it is often much tastier and fresher. It can also be more cost-effective and a great way to support local farmers. The list below includes a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are best harvested, purchased, and eaten in the fall:

  • Apples
  • Basil
  • Bell Peppers
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Chives
  • Cilantro
  • Green Beans
  • Grapefruit
  • Grapes
  • Kiwi
  • Lettuce
  • Lemons
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Parsley
  • Pears
  • Plums
  • Raspberries
  • Rosemary
  • Spinach
  • Winter Squash
  • Zucchini

My personal favorites (taste wise) include bell peppers, onions, and raspberries. Bell peppers come in several varieties and provide a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and potassium. Notably, the red bell pepper also contains lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Bell peppers are versatile in meals and snacks – eat them lightly sautéed as a side at lunch or dinner or raw as a snack with extra crunch.

Onions are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B-6, and manganese. Although preparing onions can cause tears due the sulfuric compounds present, chilling the onion before and cutting into the root end of the onion last may provide some relief. They come in red, yellow, and white varieties and each has a different flavor.

Raspberries are high in fiber, Vitamin C, manganese, copper, vitamin K, and antioxidants. Try adding raspberries to a low fat, plain Greek yogurt for a high protein, nutrient dense snack. Similarly, you can fill individual raspberries with or dip them into a low fat, plain Greek yogurt and freeze them for a sweet, healthy snack.

Remember: with your fruit and vegetable intake, it’s important to be consistent, add variety, and eat seasonally when possible. For a more extensive list of seasonal fruit and vegetables, visit here and here to read more.

Call 817-832-7227 to schedule your appointment and discuss your nutrition in detail.

Article provided by: Jessica Wiklund, MS, RD, LD • Registered Dietitian for Trinity Bariatric Institute, PLLC