You can enjoy holiday treats and still zip up your jeans if you're careful. Health experts at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore have some good ideas on how to do it.
Lorraine Giangrandi of the Hopkins Weight Management Center says if you love holiday pies, enjoy the pie filling, but forego the crust -- you'll cut out a lot of calories that way. If you're baking the pie, use a graham cracker crust and get the same effect.
To cut fat out of cakes, replace half the butter or oil in the recipe with applesauce. To enhance the flavor of turkey or other meats without adding fat, use fresh herb rubs or chutneys instead of gravy.
If you're diabetic, holidays can be especially difficult, but nutritionist Gloria Elfert of Hopkins Diabetes Center says don't stress yourself out trying to maintain a perfect glucose level. She suggests having a snack before parties to cut down on temptation, taking smaller portions of foods during meals, aiming for more veggies and drinking mock cocktails.
