KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT BILL GRAVES, GOVERNOR Gary R. Mitchell, Secretary

November 21, 1997

Contact:
Judy Johnston 316-337-6052
Barbara Roths 316-337-6051

Beat the Holiday Battle of the Bulge

Afraid you won't win the battle of the bulge this holiday season? You needn't be if you follow some simple advice from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

"There are three keys to dietary success without weighty excess: balance, variety, and moderation," said Judy Johnston, director of the Kansas LEAN (Leadership to Encourage Activity and Nutrition) program and a registered dietitian. "You can indulge your cravings of high-calorie and high-fat food as long as you balance those items with low-fat, low-calorie items and adequate physical activity."

Kansas LEAN staff say finding dietary balance is easy when you look at the total diet rather than each individual meal. Average your calorie and fat intake over the week, rather than calculating it item by item. Using a little practice, healthful eating strategies can become year-round habits.

Dietitians offer these helpful healthy habits:

• Be prepared. Enjoy a small snack such as a dinner roll or apple before leaving home to curb your pre-party appetite.
• Eat from the bottom of the Food Guide Pyramid. Grains, fruits, and vegetables are naturally low in fat and the foods you should eat most.
• Socialize. Since it's rude to talk with your mouth full, avoid the buffet table and participate in a variety of conversations.
• Avoid skipping meals. While the holidays are busy, and that can upset regular meal patterns, keep healthy snacks, like bagel chips, pretzels, or fresh fruit or vegetables to get you through the day.
• Indulge yourself occasionally. Cookies and candies are important holiday traditions. Enjoy small portions and balance them with low-fat items.
• Know when to say no. Listen to your body. If you're full and you're offered another helping or a drink, politely decline. Compliment the host on the first serving.
• Cut down on fat in recipes by substituting applesauce or dried fruit puree for oil.
• Plan physical activity as part of your family holiday celebration,
• Take walks with the visiting family members or friends. Include dancing in your plans. Park far from the stores and walk to shop whenever possible.

"Treat yourself right this holiday season," said Paula Marmet, director of the KDHE Bureau of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and a registered dietitian. "Follow the Food Guide Pyramid and the Surgeon General's recommendations for physical activity and you'll enjoy the holiday season without any guilt or weight gain."

(Note to editors: For holiday eating tips interviews you may also want to talk to dietitians at local hospitals, or county extension family and consumer sciences agents. How to use the Food Guide Pyramid, Cholesterol and Eating Right, and Nutrition in Kansas BRFSS Study Results. Web sites to check include KSU Extension at http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ or the USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fncs/.)