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Committed to caring in CAF: Debunking myths on 'beating the holiday bulge'

  • Published
  • By Capt. Neil Samson
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  The holiday season may be one of the best times to nurture friendships and relationships with the family, or to feel energetic and free from the stress of modern life.

Then there are the nutritional concerns -- and myths -- that come with the holidays. A lot of these myths are as futile as they are desperate. Listed below are a couple of myths that go against nutritional science and the proper way to go about it.

Christine Cooley, the 375th Air Mobility Wing health and wellness center's health and promotion dietitian and nutritionist, doesn't recommend following any of the nutritional myths. If people try any of them, Cooley said there should be clear goals behind your holiday weight-management plans.

Myth #1 -- Starve yourself all day to "save" yourself for that special holiday meal.

Eat four to six smaller meals instead, Cooley said. Smaller, more frequent meals enhance metabolic activity (meaning you burn more calories during the day), your less likely to binge on those holiday scones, brownies and Christmas tree-shaped Reeces peanut butter cups.

To help curb an appetite before a party, choose to snack on "heavy" foods or those that contain a high water content like broth-based soups, fruits and vegetables. For example, for 300 calories, a person could either have a couple of handfuls of chips or a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, mustard, a medium orange and an 8 ounce glass of nonfat milk. Eating some foods that appear light, but high in calories, could lead to eating 1,000 calories without feeling satisfied.

Myth #2 -- Take a break from exercise during the holidays and wait until that New Year's resolution kicks in -- it's only seven more days anyway.

Schedule a moderate workout prior to a holiday party, Cooley suggests. In the one or two hours after intense exercise, the human body is more sensitive to the hormone insulin which helps transport sugars to depleted muscles. A workout can aid in balancing caloric intake and burning calories. Be mindful of what you are eating and make sure the majority of your intake post-workout consists of complex carbohydrates and protein, Cooley adds.

Myth #3 -- Wait 15 minutes to signal that 'we're full.'

It takes at least 20 minutes for our brains to signal that we're actually full, which means a slow eater will consume less calories before feeling full than someone who races to finish their meal before anyone else. Rather than being the fastest family eater in your family, think about being the last to finish the meal.

Myth #4 -- Take advantage of all the guilty indulgences of holiday foods. The holidays only come a once a year.

Take advantage of all the "nutritionally dense" holiday foods, Cooley says. For example some of the following foods are some to keep in mind.

1. Pumpkin -- Pumpkin is an excellent source of beta-carotene, which is converted to resistance-building vitamin A. Pumpkin is also a wonderful source of iron, a mineral essential for transporting oxygen to our working cells.

2. Cranberries -- The cranberry's plant pigment that provides color to our holiday plate also provides a number of compounds that have shown early promise against cancer and heart disease. The ellagic acid in cranberries has been shown to help prevent tumor growth by disarming cancer-causing agents. In addition, cranberries contain two powerful flavonoids -- quercetin and myricetin -- that have been shown to prevent damage to blood vessel linings, thereby playing a role in the prevention of artery disease.

3. Turkey -- Turkey provides significant sources of B-vitamins, selenium and zinc, nutrients essential for optimal nerve and immune function. It is advised to not eat the outer skin and you'll avoid most of the fat. While white meat turkey breast is generally considered the most nutritious part of the turkey with its low fat content, darker meat contains 10 percent more iron per three-ounce serving.

4. Sweet potatoes -- A four-ounce sweet potato contains a mere 143 calories and provides over 100 percent of our daily needs for beta-carotene. It also provides more than a quarter of our daily needs for vitamins C and E--nutrients that have been shown to help protect cell damage. In addition, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of iron, a nutrient commonly lacking in vegetarian athletes.

5. Chestnuts -- In contrast to other calorie- and fat-laden nuts, chestnuts contain less than one gram of fat per ounce, while providing a hefty dose of fiber --3.7 grams, vitamin C, and folic acid --nutrients important for immune function, formation of collagen and reduced risk for cardiovascular disease.

Myth #5 -- Ignore liquid calories, especially alcohol.

Beware of liquid calories, Cooley advises. They can add up quickly. Alcohol actually contains almost as many calories per gram as fat (seven calories vs. nine calories per gram). Combine the alcohol with creamy or sweet mixtures i.e. egg nog, and you get even more calories.

Alcohol also tends to lower our inhibitions, which means you'll be less careful about what and how much you indulge at the party. So instead of reaching for the frosty pint, rotate a non-caloric drink like diet soda, water or spritzer into the mix. That way people are able to allocate more of of their calorie budget on the holiday foods they enjoy.

Myth #6 -- Eating small snacks at the appetizer table means consuming small calories.

Don't hang out at the appetizer table -- small handfuls of snacks add up at a party, Cooley said. This adds up, especially when people consider the following totals make up approximately half the total daily calories needed by the average active person. Following is an example of typical appetizers consumed at a holiday meal:

- 4 rye crackers with ~1/2 ounce of soft cheese
- 3 bunches of grapes
- 3 handfuls of mixed nuts
- 2 glasses of wine
- 1 handful M&Ms with nuts
- 2 pieces broccoli with ~1 Tbsp cream cheese dip
Total -- 1,209 calories, 60 grams of fat, 28 grams of protein and 110 grams of carbohydrates

During this holiday season, or anytime, Cooley said everyone should keep their nutritional goals in mind. The results will not only help debunk the myths but also help start the new year with a happier health plan for the future.

For more on AMC's Comprehensive Airman Fitness culture, visit the CAF Web Page at http://www.amc.af.mil/caf.

(Note: This is the 23rd in a series of 24 stories for 2011 by Air Mobility Command Public Affairs highlighting the Comprehensive Airman Fitness culture through a "commitment of caring." Comprehensive Airman Fitness, or CAF, is built on "four pillars" of fitness -- physical, social, mental and spiritual fitness -- and five "Cs" -- caring, committing, communicating, connecting and celebrating. "Comprehensive Airman Fitness reflects our commitment to developing a holistic approach to caring for our people that equips, enables and empowers everyone to grow more physically, socially, mentally and spiritually fit," Gen. Raymond E. Johns, Jr., AMC commander said in June 2010 while addressing CAF to AMC wing commanders. "It's not another program, but rather, a means to enhance mission effectiveness by intentionally investing in one another.")