BOLIVAR, Mo. (KY3) – Parties, dinners, travel and treats, ’tis the season for eating, drinking and merrymaking, but how can you avoid overdoing it this holiday season?

“We try to recommend as dietitians that there are no good or bad foods, so it’s important to keep that in mind during the holidays,” said Jake Pearson, a registered dietitian at Citizens Memorial Hospital in Bolivar.

“I’m more of a meal makeover type of guy,” Pearson said. “I would prefer people to enjoy their food but prepare it in the most traditional way possible and substitute a few ingredients to make it a little healthier.”

Pearson said you can do this with your Thanksgiving meal, too.

“One way to avoid overeating might be to choose a smaller plate,” Pearson said. “Our typical plate can be anywhere from ten and a half to eleven inches, so if you choose a nine-inch plate, you’ll still have the appearance of a nice full meal, but with slightly smaller portions.”

“There are other things you can do as well, including not waiting all day to eat,” Pearson said. “We’re kind of geared toward smaller, more frequent meals, rather than just one big meal at the end of the day.”

Pearson said there are also ways to modify delicious Thanksgiving side dishes.

“Some good things I generally recommend for any recipe, if you’re going to use butter, just do it without salt,” Pearson said. “If you use canned foods, buy unsalted or low-salt versions whenever you can. “When making things like deviled eggs, try using low-fat mayonnaise or miracle whip instead of full-fat mayonnaise. When it comes to turkey, you can cook it with the skin on to retain that moisture, but remove that skin before eating it because that’s where a lot of them aren’t so healthy.

Pearson said that overall, it’s not about restricting but keeping everything in moderation.

“Don’t feel guilty about doing things for special occasions,” Pearson said. “All foods can be suitable. ‘Tis the season of weight-free maintenance, so even if you know your goal has been to lose weight, if you can simply avoid gaining it over the holidays, that’s a win.

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