Eat, Drink, and Avoid Christmas Weight Gain

If you have a lot of holiday parties and events this month, experts with the Cincinnati Nutrition Council say you can eat, drink and be merry without growing your gut. In Local 12's Medical Edge, Liz Bonis explains how.

Lauren Niemes, a registered dietitian says expanding your eating options now and the rest of the year can actually help you shrink your gut rather than grow it. She agrees with a new report in Men's Health which shows most of eat pretty boring diets which leads to pigging out at the holidays. "Often when people restrict foods from their diet or limit them to one time of the year, or one special occasion, they might tend to overeat or binge, when they are exposed to it".

Niemes suggests you simply swap up a few foods. So make your list and check it twice, and if you do want to eat the foods that are good for you this holiday season, here's the list recommended, these are higher in nutrition, and a little lower in calories than some of your traditional choices, which makes them a little more slimming in the holiday season.

For example instead of always eating an apple why not try a persimmon this time of year. It's a soft juicy fruit that has even more vitamin C. Each fruit or vegetable or plant food has a unique profile of vitamins, minerals and antioxidant and so it's important to eat a variety to make sure you are getting the health benefits of all of these fruits, vegetables and nutrients.

Next instead of broccoli, try bok choy, it has half the calories and carbohydrates.

Instead of steak try seafood, it has more good fats for your heart. And don't forget to swap up your oatmeal for maybe another grain such as buckwheat, it has even more nutrients to fight disease.

There's a whole world of whole grains out there that people don't normally include in their diet.



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