You don’t have to put on 5 pounds during holidays, and no need to give up your favorites

Here is an early holiday present: If you enjoy the holidays with food, friends and family, weight gain is not inevitable.

There is no research backing the claim that between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, the average American packs on an extra 5 pounds. If weight gain happens, it is closer to 1 pound. And getting back to typical eating on Jan. 2 should bring back balance.

During the holiday season, mindfully enjoy treats but avoid eating what doesn’t taste great. The question to ask is, “Does this taste good to me”? If marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes excite your taste buds and bring back happy memories of past holidays, then don’t push them away in favor of a baked sweet potato.

For most people, this is a once-a-year side dish, so why deprive? If a tin of holiday cookies are bland, blah, and not providing enjoyment, step away from the cookies.

Turkey, tryptophan and tiredness are another Thanksgiving myth. Chicken, fish, beans and nuts have about the same amount of tryptophan as turkey but we do not pass out after eating them.

Ask yourself if you are full

A Thanksgiving meal can last for hours and many folks sit around the table picking at the food in front of them. This is the opposite of mindful eating. Overeat and then you sleep.

Take everything you want to eat, enjoy it and when your plate is empty ask yourself if you are full. If the answer is yes, consider taking your plate to the kitchen and going back to the table for conversation. If a guest at someone’s house, offer to help clear the table. If at a buffet, do not sit next to the food.

Marie Kondo says to get rid of clothes that don’t give you joy. I suggest the same be applied to food at feasts. If the dish gives you a thrill, take your fill. If it does not, stop.

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian nutritionist in private practice in Miami. Contact her at srarback@hotmail.com