BY NEVA COCHRAN, RD & ELSON HAAS, MD
Don’t feel guilty this holiday season. No, we at Maximum Fitness aren’t going to espouse pigging out, but we are going to tell you to adopt a moderation mentality. Rather than giving up your favorite foods, eat them in smaller amounts or prepare them in lower-fat ways. At a meal, fill three-quarters of your plate with grains, salads and vegetables and the remaining quarter with lean protein. Go easy on fatty sauces and gravies. At a party, avoid grazing at the buffet table; instead, fill a small plate with lower-fat options, like raw vegetables, fresh fruit, boiled shrimp and smoked salmon, and splurge on one or two favorites.
JUMP INTO THE MODERATION MENTALITY BY EATING 6 MEALS
A DAY
Eating too much food at once shifts the whole body into digestion and sedation—even
though that’s hard to keep in mind, while you’re consuming your
holiday meal. Fueling your body with six smaller yet balanced meals that contain
protein, carbs and fat is best to maintain energy or lose fat. Eating six small
meals helps to prevent binging because you aren’t as hungry.
Eat breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, a mid-afternoon snack, dinner and an evening snack, or nourish your body every two hours throughout the day. You need time in the evening to digest your food before bed—and 10 to 12 hours to process everything overnight.
| 6 DAILY MEALS | |
|---|---|
| BREAKFAST | Oatmeal or cream of rice with sunflower seeds and fruit, such as an apple or banana |
| MID-MORNING SNACK | A handful of almonds and an orange, or a six- to eight-ounce smoothie |
| LUNCH | Four to six ounces of salad greens, chopped carrot, celery and/or cucumber, one or two hard-boiled eggs, or a piece of skinless chicken breast topped with olive oil and lemon juice or vinaigrette |
| MID-AFTERNOON SNACK | Celery, jicama and/or carrot sticks with hummus and sliced avocado |
| DINNER | Salmon, Swiss chard and green beans, plus one cup of brown rice |
| EVENING SNACK | A piece of toast with some peanut or almond butter and a sliced apple or date |
Are you looking for a specific meal planner to go with
your workout routine? Check out the November/December issue of
Maximum Fitness—on newsstands October 28, 2008.
