Barbara Paulsen, M.S., R.D.

What about holiday dinners?

With holiday dinners, it's more about paying attention to portion size. Many of the foods typically served, such as turkey, vegetables and salads, are healthful. And there are usually many more options than are offered at regular meals. So, even though the foods are healthful, if you have full servings, the calories quickly add up! Decide ahead of time that you're not going to have second portions. If you can, serve foods buffet style. We're less likely to go for that second helping if we have to get up and get it. Also, it's great to sit and socialize around the table after a meal, but remove the food! If it sits in front of us, there's a tendency to keep nibbling. And again, it adds calories!

Are these strategies for everybody or just people watching their weight?

If you did limit it to people who are overweight, it would probably be close to two-thirds of us. But, I think these strategies are good for everybody. Even if weight is not an issue, we may not eat as well because we're skipping meals. Then, when we do get to parties, we may not make nutritious choices. And, in general, most of us eat larger portions than we need. So, the short answer is yes! These are tips that everybody can follow.

What should we do with holiday dinner leftovers?

If there are foods that you have a hard time resisting and you just don't want them there to tempt you, send some home with your guests. Or at the end of the meal decide how much you want as leftovers and freeze the rest for a later date. The key is cutting down on the amount of food you have sitting around.

Baking is a great holiday tradition and a way to spend time with kids. What do you tell people who are watching their weight but love to bake during the holidays?

Make baking a fun experience that you do to share the holidays with others, rather than an activity you do to have lots of food around the house. Decide how much of your baking you actually want to have in your house and share the extra. Can you give it to friends as a holiday gift or donate it to a senior center? And, it's a good lesson for children in terms of sharing the holiday spirit. Also, limit what you eat when you're baking. We can get a lot of extra calories nibbling on ingredients like chocolate and nuts or cookies after they come out of the oven.

What are some tips for fitting exercise into a crowded holiday schedule?

Research shows that we don't have to exercise all at once to get all of its health benefits. Break it up into smaller time periods and find ways to fit into what you're already doing. If you're at the mall, take the stairs instead of the elevator, or when you're done shopping, walk two laps around the mall before you go back to your car. It only takes five or 10 minutes. Before dinner, take a walk around the block with your kids. What's important is to plan exercise into your day, and if it's only 10 minutes several times a day, that's great. Otherwise, by the time you get to it, it's time for bed.

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