Before heading out to that holiday party, prep ahead of time with protein, greens to stave off the extra pounds

The holidays are jam-packed with parties, excuses to go out to dinners, enjoy a few extra cocktails, appetizers and sweet treats.

But McHenry County health experts warn not to overindulge and go into the new year carrying extra pounds that could continue to layer on if not careful.

“Anything that involves getting together involves food,” said Becky Moore, fitness coordinator at the McHenry Recreation Center, where she teaches group fitness classes and is in charge of personal training.

Amy Paulus, weight management nurse practitioner at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington where she treats many patients from McHenry County, echoed Moore.

“The holidays can encourage overeating and sedentary behavior and there are a lot of calorie-rich foods,” Paulus said. “We have to practice mindfulness during this season to make sure we don’t have any excess weight gain that will go [with us] into the new year [and] that would compile as the year goes on.”

She encourages finding ways to be active with family and friends outside of the home. Moore suggested bundling up and walking even on the chilly days.

Paulus also encouraged “snacking wisely” and not bringing the temptations into the house. Do not buy the pretty packaged holiday treats ever-present in the stores during this season.

If the extra goodies find their way into the home, Paulus recommends having a “safe place” to keep them “out of sight out of mind.” That safe place could be in a cabinet in the garage rather than in a bin in the pantry.

“Put them somewhere so they are not just sitting there saying, ‘Come eat me,’” Paulus said.

Moore suggested when going to the grocery store it is best to shop the outside aisles first. Here is where the healthier, fresher items are stocked.

When buying items like salsa, avoid the brand-name options stored on an inner aisle and opt instead for the freshly packed ones typically found near the deli department. The brand-name choices typically includes unhealthy preservatives and hidden sugars, Moore said, adding to always read food labels.

The first ingredient, Moore said, is what the product is going to contain the most of and “if there are words on the label you can’t read, it is probably not good for you.”

Before heading out to a party, many tend to starve themselves in expectation for eating at the party, but Paulus and other experts said this is a mistake.

“Don’t starve yourself before a holiday party because you’ll only show up starving and end up eating more calories,” said Richelle Gomez, registered dietician with Northwestern Medicine in McHenry.

It is better to eat light, protein-packed snacks throughout the day otherwise be prepared to eat anything and everything at the party, Paulus said. She recommended pre-party meals of shredded, grilled chicken on top of romaine lettuce with a low calorie Caesar dressing or low-sodium deli meat on top of cucumbers with a little cream cheese.

“Protein will reduce hunger,” Paulus said. “We want to make sure we don’t go to these events hungry. Protein promotes fullness.”

Gomez recommended when preparing a pre-party meal to create a plate half fruit or vegetables and the other half a combination of grains and protein.

Moore, Gomez and Paulus cautioned against drinking too much alcohol during the holiday season – and year-round – as alcohol is loaded with hidden calories and sugar and can actually make people hungrier.

They say to be mindful and recommended a glass of water in between each cocktail, even between non-alcohol mocktails that can be high in sugar and syrups. They also recommend avoiding congregating around the appetizer and cocktail tables.

Gomez suggested drinking wine spritzers – half wine, half sparkling water – instead of a full glass of wine that cut the calories of wine in half. When drinking alcohol, Moore suggested sticking with clear alcohols like vodka that are much lower in calories. The same is true for clear sodas.

When taking appetizers to a party, bring healthful items such as tiny Mozzarella cheese balls, cherry tomatoes and a sprig of basil on small toothpicks with a drip of balsamic vinegar or a charcuterie board loaded with vegetables, nuts, meats and cheeses.

When it comes to deserts, Gomez recommended drinking a cup of tea before dessert to prevent you from eating too much or even indulging at all.

However, when someone overdoes it at a party, Paulus said, “don’t beat yourself up.” There is a solution.

“You have about 24 hours to burn off the extra calories,” Paulus said. “Put yourself in a calorie deficit the next day. Whether reducing calories or getting an extra work out in … that is key to making sure that extra fuel doesn’t turn into fat. You have 24 hours. Then after that time, it gets stored. Don’t let it get stored.”

When it comes to staying physically active through these hectic days, Gomez, Paulus, Moore and Mike Pagan, certified health coach and personal trainer and athletic trainer at Advocate Good Shepherd in Barrington, all agree the goal is at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day, 150 minutes per week.

That 30 minutes can be broken up into 10-minute segments three times per day and include simple activities, such as running or walking up and down the stairs, lunges around the house and doing house work at a quicker pace.

Other physical activities that do not require a gym membership or expensive equipment include arm circles, squats, jumping jacks, and using household items such as small pieces of furniture, soup cans or gallons of water or milk tied to the ends of a broomstick to do lifts to build up muscle tone, Moore said.

They all agreed do anything, just move – even, Gomez said, it is 10 minutes “of doing the hokey pokey.”