Getting into the spirits of the season

Too often food has been to blame for the pounds put on over the holidays, when in fact alcohol can contribute quite a bit. It is a little known fact that alcohol itself contains calories- more calories than carbs or protein per gram! Pure alcohol contains 7 calories per gram whereas carbs and protein each contain 4 cal per gram. That means that although those vodka sodas may be lower in calories than gin & tonic, it still contains calories.



Here is a fun down of the calories found in popular drinks:

Regular beer (12oz): ~150cal

Light beer (12oz): ~100cal

Red, white or rose wine (5oz): ~100cal

Vodka, rum, whiskey, gin (1oz): 65cal

Baileys (1oz): 100cal



One or even two simple drinks on occasion does not add up to be many calories in the long run however, pair a few drinks (~400cal) with an average holiday meal of 1000cal and you can easily consume a days worth of calories in one evening.


One easy way to lower the impact of drinks on your health is to drink smaller quantities. This can be done by either using smaller glasses or diluting drinks with low calorie mixers such as club soda.
Pairing each drink with a glass of sparkling water not only allows you to hold on to something while mingling, but also fills you up.
Also, if you are thirsty it is best to quench it first with water before diving into the egg nog. Often we forget about how much water we need when the hot days of summer are long gone.

Canadian recommendations for drinks containing alcohol are 0-1 per day (Max 9 drinks per week) for women and 1-2 per day (max 14 drinks per week) for men. Most other countries have similar recommendations however, their serving sizes do vary. Of course, over the holidays we tend to indulge more than usual, but keep in mind the calories can add up quickly with all the parties this time of year.

Everyday eating, even during the holidays

What is the magic, must have food that will guarantee to make us healthy? Is it the satiating power of fiber? the antioxidant rich colour rich berries? or perhaps its the uber exciting potentials of fish oils!?


I believe that most people already have a good knowledge base of what to do to live healthier lives: eat more fruits and vegetables, eat less trans fat, move more, avoid too much alcohol, etc...

It is not often a lack of knowledge, but more the need for help in developing an action plan to start implementing these changes.
These action plans must include small steps to incorporate one change at a time into your routine. To learn more about setting goals see my pervious blog labeled "when reaching for the stars is not the best"

Wanting to make certain changes can lead to an "all or nothing" way of thinking (this food is good and that food is bad) and in turn, this guides people into a cycle of deprivation and excess all year long. Depriving ourselves of certain foods on ordinary days fuels our excuses and reasons to go overboard on special occasions. This is neither healthy for our bodies nor our minds! Lets take an example: if the only time of the year you allowed yourself to eat shortbread cookies, how likely is it that you would or could stop after 2?

Healthy & happy moderation is the key to healthier, balanced living. Understanding how to enjoy eating less while focusing on quality of the food and the flavours rather than the volume of the food if key. It is healthy to enjoy special foods once in a while and knowing that you have the right to eat them can help you eat more of an appropriate serving size.


Happy holidays!

Healthy Over the Holidays- NOT an Oxymoron!

Between Thanksgiving and New Years there are about 12 weeks- they are most likely the busiest weeks for celebrations and get togethers with family and friends. Thanksgiving supper (and all those meals with its leftovers), Halloween parties (and those leftover candies) then there are all the holiday work parties, feasts with friends and of course family gatherings- all of which usually revolve around food.

Its no wonder that most people gain weight at this time of the year. But is weight gain a must? For those if us who have tried hard this year to stay fit, all is not lost! Here are my top 10 tips on how to avoid gaining weight during this seasons holidays:

1. Eat breakfast: skipping it leads to binging later on and a less efficient metabolism. We must wake up our metabolisms by eating food in the morning- and this process of waking up helps our body to burn 40 more calories an hour.

2. NO empty party stomachs: Eating a healthy snack before going to the parties (example: yogurt with a fruit or a small salad) will help you avoid binging on the high calorie party food.

3. Keep your distance: mindless munching can occur while standing near the food tables. Standing further away from the food can help you avoid all the extra calories that come with the appetizers.

4. Put activities center stage: Try making an activity the highlight of your party rather than the meal. In other words, don’t make eating the only activity of the evening.

5. Avoid binge drinking: not only does alcohol contain a lot of empty calories, but it makes you more likely to over eat.

6. Brush up: Carry a toothbrush with you and brush between meals. This takes care of mindless snacking.

7. Be prepared: with healthy meals ready at hand, you can eat well between parties. Make double the recipes of your regular pre-holiday meals and freeze them into your own frozen dinners.

8. Just say no: decline offers to take leftovers home. One high fat meal can turn into many if you load up on leftovers.

9. Pack ‘em up: If you are hosting the party, pack up the leftovers for your guests to take home.

10. Divide and conquer: If you are stuck with the leftovers, separate them into containers and make pre-portioned meals to freeze and enjoy later.