Nutrition Tips

Your Personal Nutritionists by Linda Michaelis RD, MS

and Jackie Peterson CDCES

We are just beginning the holiday season and there will be many social events. How do I enjoy these special gatherings when I know I cannot afford to gain any more weight or I have to keep my blood pressure and cholesterol under control and/or my doctor tells me that I am pre-diabetic?  There are some great ways to enjoy these parties and still keep these problem areas in check.

DO NOT ARRIVE HUNGRY

The number oneproblem my clients have is arriving too hungry to a party where they find it difficult to make good food choices- everything looks delicious when you are starving.  At least an hour before you arrive you should have a substantial snack like low fat cottage and salsa or a scoop of tuna and tomatoes to take the edge off of your hunger.   

APPETIZERS

The appetizers are killers. They are usually laden with salt, fat and hundreds of calories.  We all have experienced getting filled up on appetizers and then continue eating the meal anyway.  I am always explaining that bread, crackers along with cheese typically served at appetizer time have many grams of sodium and fat. When you are on a low sodium diet you need to balance this out with a crudite platter with low fat tzatziki sauce made with low fat yogurt or even a shrimp cocktail.   Why not bring to the party a bag of low salt Baked Lays that can be served with lite dips. Raw veggies are great served with salsa or homemade hummus which will contain less oil and salt. Take one or two crackers with a topping and save your calories and salt and fat for your meal to come. You must simply walk away and tell yourself how this is best for your health.

SURVEY THE TABLE TO MAKE A PLAN

For the meal, the best approach is to walk around the table to see what food is available. For your entrée build the meal around protein and veggies choices and then allow yourself a serving of the decadent escalloped or au gratin potatoes that you absolutely love. Typically, the sliced meats and veggies without sauces and green salads are lite on salt and fat, unlike the prepared items. Please stay away from the bread and biscuits that are full of salt, fat and concentrated calories. Allow yourself a piece of yummy dessert that will end up being less calories than all the bread and crackers you might have consumed. I often see clients who are pre-diabetic eat too many starches because they think that they cannot eat sweets or a lot of fruit. I often surprise them when they learn they can have a small dessert each day or 2 servings of fruit.

DECIDE DESSERT BEFORE IF AVAILABLE TO LOOK AT

Fruit should be eaten like a dessert with a meal. If they are eaten on an empty stomach or in between meals they will cause a spike in blood sugar and then a quick drop in blood sugar along with the arrival of a false hunger. Often my clients are astounded by how many calories there are in fruits. The problem is in the store there are no food labels to refer to. So, if you can avoid loading up on fruit you will save yourself hundreds of calories so you can have a reasonable piece of that cheesecake you are crazy about.

HOW TO HANDLE ALCOHOL

I consider alcohol in the dessert category, especially the craft cocktails with sugary mixers. Yes, it is best to have a gin and tonic or a vodka soda both with fresh lime juice.

To slow yourself down I suggest having a sparkling water next to your drink so that

you can alternate sips and cut your intake in half.

EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT

Lastly, please make time to exercise on the days when there is a party. Remember if you burn a few hundred calories exercising it will certainly help balance the extra calories you will be consuming.

We enjoy holdings clients’ hand through the social events and restaurants. We want our clients to enjoy and often we are reviewing menus for them to show them how to order at their favorite spots. We will set up a day for them based on their favorite foods and how to balance the meal they select at the restaurant or social event.

The good news is that most insurance companies pay for nutritional counseling including Aetna, Blue Cross. Blue Shield, CCHP Cigna, Hill, Sutter, UHC and others. We are happy to call on your behalf and see what your plan offers.

Please visit www.LindaRD.com to learn more about our services. Email us at lifeweight1@yahoo.com or call (925) 855-0150 to tell us about your nutritional concerns and how we can help you.