The holiday bulge

Don't become a holiday blimp: with parties, work, and family events, calories can add up faster than snowflakes in a blizzard at this time of year.

Here's how to splurge without ending up shaped like frostyElizabeth M. Ward
HOLIDAY MEALS
* Be a discriminating diner. Scan the table for one or two foods you must have. Instead of gorging, take small portions--the first few bites are the best anyway. Fill the remaining space on your plate with lean meats, plain vegetables, and grains.
* Keep your mind off food. Instead of going for seconds, volunteer to do the dishes or clear the table.
* Bag it. Take all those spare cookies and treats your hosts ply you with to work the following day so you don't have unneeded temptation around your house.
PARTIES
* Never arrive hungry. Regular meals and snacks throughout the day will blunt your appetite and allow you to resist overdoing it on the festive treats.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
* Protein load. Foods like fish, seafood, chicken, and lean beef keep you fuller longer, so you eat less sugary junk.
* When you're done eating, avoid more mindless munching by parking yourself far from candy dishes and cookie platters.
EVERY DAY
* Don't deny yourself. If you're lusting after sugar cookies or eggnog, indulge. Just keep the portions as small as possible, so you limit the damage.
* Monitor yourself. Record everything you eat and how much you exercise. Studies show keeping tabs on excess pounds makes it easier to lose them.

By Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D.