Alison's Tips for the Holidays:
At the start of the day, Alison recommends we snack on high-protein, low-fat items, and avoid "starving" ourselves so we can eat more in the afternoon. Some of the specific snacks she recommends are:
- Popcorn (high in fiber), nuts and seeds (high in protein), and low-fat dairy products (string cheese or low fat yogurt)
- Helpful tip: Too often we confuse hunger with thirst. So before you reach for too many snacks, fill up with water and see if you're still craving food.
- Pass: Potatoes loaded with butter and milk; Pick: Baked sweet potatoes -- but without the marshmallows, cream or sugar.
- Pass: Stuffing loaded with sausage, white bread; Pick: Whole grain rice
- Pass: Canned Cranberry Sauce packed with high fructose corn syrup; Pick: Homemade cranberry sauce
- Walk it off! Aside from burning extra calories, walking away from the table will prevent you from nibbling on leftovers. Moving around also promotes blood flow back to the muscles and will give you more energy.
- Straighten up: Good posture relaxes the diaphragm and gives organs space to function properly- also improves blood flow and increases digestive capacity.
Alison Eastwood consults with and advises food companies, corporations, non-profit organizations and educational institutions to help these organizations develop and deliver food and nutrition products and information to consumers.
She has appeared on all of the major Bay area networks including ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS and KRON television, as well as in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, Child Magazine and Shape Magazine, among others.
Alison received her degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of California at Berkeley, she has earned a reputation as an industry mover and shaker.
For more information, visit www.niftynutrition.com
