According to Men’s Health:

The average man consumes about 2,679 calories on average during a normal day; he consumes about 3,000 just during Thanksgiving dinner!

Over the holiday a fit guy will gain about half a pound of fat while overweight guys will gain about two pounds on average.

Don’t over do it!!!

The holidays are here! This means that many of us will be invited to numerous parties, brunches, dinners, and other gatherings all of which will be a great opportunity to eat and drink healthily. One could only wish! The fact is that most of the parties we attend will have plenty of guilty pleasure foods ranging from cookies and pie to cheesy casseroles and buttery breads. It’s easy to forget about the calories. Everyone is eating, drinking, and having a good time, why shouldn’t you? Chances are you’ll also be given a little (or a lot of) guilt for not having at least a taste of everything. However, with a little planning you can save yourself from the holiday pounds that you could pack on over the holidays. Here are a few tips.

• Make holiday dinners sensible. Don’t feel the need to make everything that can possibly be considered part of the dinner. Steam side dishes instead of sautéing them in butter. Limit the amount of cream and cheese you use. Choose one guilty pleasure dish that everyone likes and make that your only “unhealthy” choice.
• Eat a small, healthy meal before you go to a party. This way you are not tempted to make your entire dinner out of party food. Limit yourself to one or two small selections at the party.
• Make every other drink water and start with water. You will save yourself the calories and possibly the embarrassment of being the tipsy one at the company dinner.
• Arrive after the meal is complete If you have many places and parties to go to in one day. You will be less likely to get a guilt trip for not eating.
• Maintain your healthy diet choices when not at a party or event. It is tempting to throw your healthy eating habits out the window all together this time of year. It is important that you try your best to stick to your regular, healthy diet.
• Enjoy yourself and don’t stress too much about it!!! Go ahead, live a little and certainly don’t drive yourself crazy thinking of the calories in grandma’s pumpkin cheesecake pie. Make sensible decisions and don’t overindulge.

Healthy Holidays!

Have any suggestions to help others through the holiday food blues? Please share your ideas below. Thank you!

Here is a dish I made last night. It is full of fresh veggies and protein. Please try it and tell me what you think!

1/4 c Orange Juice
1/4 c White Wine
1/4 c Lite Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Rice Vinegar (I used Nakano Garlic Flavored)
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Canola, Peanut or Olive Oil
Half Pound Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast (Cubed)
Half Pound Medium Shrimp (Peeled and Deveined)
2 tbps Chopped Garlic
1/2 c Chopped Onion
1 c Diced Carrots
1 c Diced Zucchini Squash
1 c Diced Japanese Eggplant
1 c Sliced Mushrooms
2 tsp Cornstarch (Dissolved in 1/8 c Warm Water)

Combine orange juice, wine, soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper, and sesame oil in a small bowl, set aside. In a large skillet or wok heat 2 tbsp oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken to hot skillet; brown the chicken until cooked through. Transfer chicken to a bowl for later use. Add the onion and carrots to hot skillet and sweat onion, about 2 minutes. Then, add garlic and give a quick stir, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the remaining vegetables and cook until tender-crisp. Add the sauce mixture and continue to cook the vegetables for a few minutes until tender and add the chicken back to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute and then add shrimp, cook for 2 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Enjoy over steamed brown rice.

Healthy Eating!

Like to cook healthy but in a hurry during the week?  Check out CookingLight’s Weeknight cookbook.  The recipes in this book are fairly simple, require little time to prepare and cook, and best of all are LIGHT!  The book is broken down into six chapters: Essential Weeknight (like Bell Pepper Chicken with Feta Orzo), Make Ahead (like Black Bean Burrito Bake), Fish & Shellfish (like Baja Fish Tacos), Meats (like Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Gravy), Poultry (like Lemon Chicken and Rice with Artichokes), and Pizza & Sandwiches (like Super Sloppy Joe Sandwiches).  Buy it at Amazon. Let me know what you think.  Healthy eating!

I had lunch Saturday afternoon at Zocalo Cafe, located in the Clarksville neighborhood at 1110 West Lynn.  I enjoyed the Tacos del Mar with grilled Mahi Mahi on fresh wheat tortillas (they make them in-house without lard).  The tacos were fantastic and garnished with a cabbage, carrot, and cilantro slaw.  Mango-watermelon salsa and a slightly spicy dressing was on the side.  Go easy on the dressing  as it seemed to be mayo-based.  I substituted the rice and beans with a cup of their tortilla soup, which was wonderful but did have some cheese and tortilla chips (fine in moderation).   The portions were perfect and I left satisfied if not just slightly full.  They have quite a few taco and salad selections that were tempting and can be kept healthy (again, easy on those dressings).  Give Zocalo Cafe a try and let me know what you think.  Healthy eating!

Do you tend to eat on the go a lot? Do you find yourself at the drive-through more than in front of the stove? If so pick up or order a copy of Eat This, Not That by Men’s Health editor David Zinczenko. David compares choices between fast-food restaurants and helps you make better decisions for your health, potentially saving you from hundreds of empty, unnecessary calories. There are also chapters that help you decode menus at popular sit-down restaurants and make better prepared food choices at the grocery store. The book is small enough to keep in your car for reference and will easily fit in your purse, bag or backpack. Go by the book store or order it on Amazon. Let me know what you think. Healthy eating!