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Stuff the Turkey and Not Yourself: How to Make Smart, Tasty Choices During the Holiday Season 2010 by Renee Wiggins

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CONTENTS
Introduction 4 Chapter One Think Healthy and Still Have a Great Thanksgiving Chapter Two Create the Best Turkey Dinner with No Weight Gain Chapter Three Lower the Calories but Sizzle the Senses Chapter Four Do the Turkey Run Chapter Five Two Recipes You and Your Guests Will Love Chapter Six Are You Thinking of Eating Out This Thanksgiving? Chapter Seven Healthier Beverages Chapte Eight How to De-Stress During the Holidays 20 18 15 17 14 12 9 5

Chapter Nine Taking Charge of Your Holidays

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INTRODUCTION
I am writing this book to inform my clients and anyone else about how to stay healthy during the holidays. Being on a diet can be stressful, especially during the holiday season. Not only do you have to monitor your food intake, but you also have to be mindful of food portion sizes. Thats since we tend to eat a lot more because it is a festive season, and the shelv es of grocery stores are filled to the max. If you work at a hospital or for a huge corporation, sometimes you find each floor celebrates in addition to the company party. Ohh, those poundsthey seem to creep on you. Wait!!! It doesnt have to be that way. You can have a tasty Thanksgiving without the loaded fat, sugar, and salt, and this book will show you how. This season, commit to staying healthy all year round!

Chapter One

Think Healthy and Still Have a Great Thanksgiving

Are you tired of gaining five to ten pounds at each Thanksgiving meal? If youre anything like me, you know that its incredibly easy to doalmost as easy as eating a second slice of pumpkin or sweet potato pie! In this book, youll discover how to get thro ugh the Thanksgiving meal, and the entire holiday season, while maintaining your current weight and your self-respect. In short, youll learn how to exercise control.

Marilynns Story Marilynn, wife and mother of three, always cooks the Thanksgiving dinner and she gains weight every year. Her weight gain confuses her because she says shes doing so much cooking and cleaning leading up to the meal that shes usually too tired to eat. But, after questioning her, we realized that Marilynn eats more than she thinks she does every year. Thats because, as shes cooking, shes tasting. Shes taking a little bit of this and a little nip of that and the calories add up. This year, now that shes aware of what shes doing, Marilynn is going to try to be more in c ontrol.

Plan Ahead Holiday cooking can be very stressful for the cook, so please dont let the added pressure of cooking a healthy meal burden you. In fact, you may want to follow my sisters example. She prepares her meal two days before Thanksgiving so that shes able to relax and enjoy the day with family.

Whatever works for you, do it so that youre able to deliver a healthy meal, while keeping your sanity intact.

Appetizers and Hors D'oeuvres If you have relatives and other guests who like nibbling throughout the day, be sure to have some healthy, low-fat snacks around. Here are some ideas:

A low-fat pizza treatsimply add salsa to a Triscuit cracker or whole wheat cracker, and top it with Parmesan cheese; zap in the microwave for fifteen seconds or less, and youre done!

A half of a cherry tomato on a Club cracker

A new and improved recipe for spinach dip: 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained 1 cup fat-free plain yogurt 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped 1 cup light or fat-free sour cream 1 cup light or fat-free mayonnaise 1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix Mix all ingredients; cover and chill at least two hours. Put dip in hollowed-out loaf of round bread and serve with vegetables.

You will find your guests will love these simple treats, and theyre certainly better for you than the pigs-in-a-blanket!

The Main Course For starters, please dont deep fry the turkey. It can be dangerous if you are too close to the house, and the turkey will be high in fat. Some of us dont want turkey unless we have gravy, too, and it is possible to enjoy gravy without adding an abundant number of calories to the meal. For example, if you use a package gravy mix, mix with water, instead of fat from the turkey, to avoid adding a lot of extra calories. Or you can try adding skim milk and water to add volume. My mothers gravy was delicious, but it was loaded with fat. Its nice to know theres a healthy alternative. Second, serve mostly white meat because it contains fewer calories and less fat than dark meat. This year, try cooking your mashed potatoes with low-sodium chicken broth and serve them with herbs instead of butter. To add healthy fiber to your meal, leave the skin on the potato. Then there are those candied yams! Mmmm, I can see and smell them now! But, believe it or not, there are delicious alternatives for cooking sweet potatoes that dont include a lot of extra sugar or fat. Heres one of my favorites:

Leaving the skin on, wash the potatoes and slice them while raw. Then place them into a frying pan. Cover with cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup raisins, and pour in one can of unsweetened pineapple juice and pineapple chunks. Let them cook until tender.

Mmm, good! My family loved my mothers macaroni and cheese. Heck, why wouldnt we? She used two entire sticks of butter, one-and-a-half pounds of cheese, three eggs, and a full cup of whole milk! But, now that Im older, I realize that it really was a heart attack waiting to happen! And Ive learned that theres an easy way to reduce the calories in a pan of macaroni and cheese while keeping the great taste. Heres my favorite recipe for it: 1 cups macaroni, boiled 1 egg and 2 egg whites stick butter 1 cup low-fat milk pound cheese Optional: 2 tablespoons hot pepper oil to taste, for flavor Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil macaroni until done. Drain off water and add eggs, butter, and milk. Stir well. Let bake for thirty minutes. Then shake bread crumbs on top and bake for an additional ten minutes.

Five Quick Tips for No Weight Gain at the Turkey Table 1. Focus on the salads, fruits, and vegetables. 2. Before you have the main course, drink water and/or have a broth soup, and eat your salad. 3. Ensure that half of your plate is full of vegetables, with the rest holding proteins and starch. 4. Learn to say no to seconds. If you just cant, eat more vegetables and be sure to keep your sauces on the side. 5. And remember that those calories you consume while preparing the meal do count.

Chapter Two

Create the Best Turkey Dinner with No Weight Gain

Are You Afraid to Lower the Fat? I think that some of us are actually afraid to lower the fat in our meals because we fear that it will ruin our favorite dishes and that no one will want to come back to our homes. But please read this carefully: You can lower the fat without sacrificing the taste; you just have to know how. Here are a few tips you can use right away: If you usually add cheese as a topping to a casserole, use bread crumbs instead. Make spaghetti sauce without the meat. Use half the amount of cheese or butter in the recipe, and add more herbs. If the recipe calls for mayonnaise, use half the amount listed and substitute low-fat yogurt for the other half. Use two egg whites or an egg substitute instead of a whole egg. If your recipe calls for whole milk or heavy cream, use skim milk, low-fat milk, or evaporated skim milk.

Use low-fat yogurt or nonfat sour cream on your baked potatoes. You can also add extra herbs, such as dill, parsley, cilantro, or fennel. Better yet, surprise your family with salsa on top of their potatoes!

Sure, fat adds flavor to a meal; however, too much fat can lead to high blood cholesterol and clogged arteries. So, even though the fat-filled meal may be tasty, youll eventually pay the price. Andtrust meits not worth it.

Sometimes I Cheat! Yes, I have cooked chicken without the skin and the chicken was dry. So, go ahead and cook chicken with the skin, but remove the skin before eating it.

A Typical Thanksgiving Meal Does this sound like your usual Thanksgiving dinner? 8 ounces turkey meat 1 cup mashed potatoes with butter 1 cup stuffing (two servings) 3 - 4 ladles of gravy cup sauted green beans cup candied sweet potatoes cup cranberry sauce Total calories of this typical meal 480 calories 300 600 800 50 300 200 2730 calories

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Why not try a new and improved Thanksgiving dinner? 6 ounces white meat without skin 1 cup mock potato or 1 cup mashed potatoes cooked with low-sodium broth 1 cup stuffing baked outside the turkey, made with bread, mushrooms, onions, rice, vegetables, and egg white cup low-fat gravy cup baked or boiled sweet potatoes (no added butter or sugar) cooked with one 16-ounce can of diced pineapple chunks cup cranberry sauce Total calories of new and improved meal 270 calories 150

125 25

280 100

950 calories

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Chapter Three

Lower the Calories but Sizzle the Senses

Add a new vegetable to the table, Steamed Cabbage. You can fix cabbage in so many different ways, all of them requiring little preparation. Try this recipe: 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 ounces smoked turkey, cut into pieces 1/3 cup water 1 medium cabbage, chopped 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saut the turkey for five minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook the cabbage just until tender. Calories 65 Total fat 3 grams

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Lean, Mean, Green Collards

Olive oil, or oil spray 4 cloves garlic, diced 1/4c diced green peppers (optional) 2 large onions, sliced 2 pounds greens (collard, kale, mustard greens) 4 low-sodium bouillon cubes dissolved in 1 cups water

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok, or spray skillet with oil spray. Saut garlic and onions ,(green peppers-optional)on medium heat. Add about one-fourth of the greens and heat for about 4 minutes until wilted. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining greens. Place all greens back in skillet, and add 1-1/2 cups bouillon-flavored liquid. Heat greens in covered container for about 20 minutes or until done. Serves 4 to 6

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Chapter Four

Do the Turkey Run

Run, turkey, run! Im not coaxing the turkey youre planning to eatIm talking to you! I encourage you to get out and join one of the many Thanksgiving Day races being held across America. The one I know is called The Turkey Run, and is a three- to five-mile walk held to support local charities. Its a f un way to get some exercise with your family while helping some very worthy causes. Call your local Parks and Recreation Department to find the Turkey Run closest to you.

Other Fun Exercise Tips Encourage your family and other dinner guests to go for a group walk after the meal. Make it a contest and give a prize to the person who walks the farthest. Get up and dance after dinner, and have a prize for the best dancer in the house. Adhere to your regular exercise regimen. Plan ahead so that youre able to fit it in during the busy holiday season.

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Chapter Five

Two Recipes You and Your Guests Will Love

Healthy Thanksgiving Menu Recipes

Apple Crisp Preparation time: 20 minutes Serves 6 Serving Size: cup 4 large baking apples, peeled and sliced cup brown sugar cup flour cup oatmeal teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg 1/3 cup reduced-fat margarine Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and place the apples in the pan. Mix the brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, and nutmeg together and place on top of the apples. Drop dots of margarine over the dry mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Exchanges: 4 carbohydrate choices 1 fat Calories per serving Calories from fat 298 55

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Sweet Potato Pie Preparation time: 20 minutes Serves 10 Serving size: 1 piece 3 large cooked sweet potatoes, peeled and mashed cup sugar cup egg substitute 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon lemon-flavored extract 1 tablespoon butter-flavored extract 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon nutmeg 1/8 cup brandy 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 cups fat-free evaporated milk 1 9-inch pie shell Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all the ingredients together and beat until smooth. Pour into the pie shell and bake for 40 minutes. Exchanges 3 carbohydrate choices fat Calories per serving Calories from fat Total fat Cholesterol Sodium Carbohydrate 270 39 4 1 mg. 159 mg. 52 g.

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Chapter Six

Are You Thinking of Eating Out This Thanksgiving?

Are you tired of the stress associated with cooking and cleaning in preparation for a grand Thanksgiving dinner? If so, maybe this is the year you eat out. If you do, be sure to read this before you leave home:

Eight Tips to Help Minimize Weight Gain When Eating Out 1. If youre going to one of the popular all you can eat buffet restaurants, be sure to sit with your back to the food table. People who see food tend to overeat. 2. Choose a restaurant that offers a wide variety of entrees so you can select food that suits your healthy way of eating. 3. If youre not sure, ask your waiter how a meal youre interested in is prepared. 4. Order meat that is broiled, baked, poached, or stir-fried. Avoid any meat that has been fried or deep fried. 5. Ask for sauces and gravies on the side. 6. Eat a small protein snacksuch as cheese and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, or an apple and a slice of cheesebefore you go out to eat. These snacks will fill you, and you will then eat less at the restaurant. 7. Have water, tea, or coffee as your beverage instead of alcohol, soft drinks, or cream drinks. 8. If you get a high-fat appetizer or dessert, share it. Youll get half the calories but twice the fun when enjoying it with a friend.

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Chapter Seven

Healthier Beverages Holidays can be stressful, and you become anxious, so you reach for a glass of wine.,
remember wine has calories, too. One glass of wine is not bad, however, more than one glass can add up those unwanted calories. For example, just one gram of alcohol amounts to 7 calories and those are what we consider alcohol contains empty calories because they contain and has no nutrients, nor minerals or vitamins. Instead of drinking wine, I encourage you to indulge in diet sodas with an added lemon, lime, or cherry, and a lemon or lime or a cherry to help boost your e spirit. You may also try mixing sodas, Mix sodas with orange or pineapple juice. Other smart, healthy beverage choices include unsweetened ice tea and Crystal Light. . Or you can even suck on a sugar-free popsicle as a fun way to quench your thirst. Try not to drink, but if you do drink: here are a few additional tips for drinking alcoholic beverages:

Eat before you drink, so you wont quickly feel the effects of the alcohol. If you alternate non-alcoholic beverages with alcoholic beverages. Dont guzzle your drink, sip it instead , let it last the entire evenin.g Men are allowed 2 glasses and 1 glass for women.

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Most alcoholic beverages contains sugars and carbohydrates which, when digested, turns to sugar.

Beware of hidden calories Beverage Light beer (12 oz) Beer regular (12oz.) Martini (4oz.) Wines, dry (4oz) Wine cooler (4oz.0 Eggnog 1 cup (depends on the brand) Calories 110 150 250 80 215 343 Carbohydrates (grams) 5 13 trace trace 30

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Chapter Eight

How To De-stress During the Holidays

Planning for the holidays can be difficult and it seems that no matter how far in advance you plan, there is always a lot to do. First you have to call all the relatives to see who wants to come for Thanksgiving Dinner. And then the week before the big day youre cleaning up the house and on the day of the event you find that, in spite of your best intentions, youre still not enjoying the day nearly as much as youd like.

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e What wrong with this picture? A lot, but you have the power to change it. Here are a few tips to help make this year one of your best Thanksgivings ever: 1. Have a meeting with your family to discuss how they can share the responsibilities. 2. Buy some of your food pre-cooked , prepared in advance . 3. Simplify the meals. 4. Look for coupons to help with the cost. 5. Make your dinner pot luck and ask each family to bring a dish. 6. Setup a Thanksgiving bank, where during the year each family contributes monies towards the Thanksgiving dinner. This helps ensure that you dont go broke in your attempt to entertain your family and friends.

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Chapter Nine

Take Charge of Your Holidays

From now until January, you may find it difficult to keep healthy eating habits and exercise schedules. And who can blame you? There are bound to be an abundance of opportunities to overeat and to do anything but exercise! There will be office parties, and, if you have more than one job, you may be eating at all of them. The key, my friend, is to plan ahead. For example, I tell my clients that, if theyre going to two or more parties in a day, they should eat fruit and raw vegetables at the first party, meat and a starch at the second party, and then enjoy dessert at the last party. And I plead with them not to go back for seconds! They should also drink plenty of water that day and eat something before they go to the parties. If possible, they can even take their own Tupperware container of raw vegetables and dip to help ensure that they dont overeat. And I encourage them to stay away from alcohol and creamy drinks. If you find it difficult not to overeat at this time of year, enlist the help of friends, family members, and maybe even a nutritionist to keep you on the right path. With planning meals, cleaning house, and worrying about where guests will sleep, the holidays can be an extremely stressful time of year. Maintaining control over what you eat is one way you can stay on top of the game. Another way to maintain control is to relax and remember what Thanksgiving is all about. Its a day for showing our appreciation for all that we have. This year, lets be sure to give thanks for our friends, family members, and for being alive.

Happy Holidays!

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Author Renee Wiggins Renee Wiggin, has mentored, trained and changed lives in the health and wellness industry for more than 20 years. A strong believer and encourager in living the authentic, healthy lifestyle Renee specializes in designing customized lifestyle programs that are tailored to the clients needs, goals and habits. Ms. Wiggins is a registered and licensed dietitian, certified massage therapist, certified health and wellness coach and a certified Christian Life Coach. She is the author of Transformations: Give UP The Struggle, Can I Exercise Sitting Down?, Stress Down and Lift UP. And her latest book Being Fabulously Fit For Gods Kingdom: a 40-day spiritual and physical journey to Wellness will be out in Spring 2013. Renee can be reach at : renee@resultsbyrenee.com

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