CHRISTUS Southeast Texas - LiveWell

Simple Ways to Burn Holiday Calories Minimize excess calorie intake by giving holiday favorites a healthy makeover with these tips from Amy Guidry, MS, RD, LD, Dietitian at the CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Bariatric Center at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth. 1 Boost fiber in recipes. "Increasing the amount of fiber in traditional dishes promotes satiety," Guidry says. "Replace some or all of the all-purpose flour in recipes with whole-wheat flour or oats and add chia or flax seeds to batter. Top baked goods with dried fruit." For example, try gingerbread people with dried cranberry smiles. 2 Limit sugar. Most recipes call for more sugar than needed. Cut sugar content in half while baking, and further adjust this amount if using sweetened condensed milk or other ingredients containing added sugars. 3 Cut back on fats. Guidry recommends replacing butter with olive oil when you sautée vegetables and using low-fat Greek yogurt or cottage cheese in place of sour cream, mayonnaise and cream cheese. Family Focus Shift the attention from food to fitness this season by making festive activities a family affair. SMART SEASONAL EATS For healthy holiday recipes and more information about weight loss and living a healthy lifestyle year-round, visit www.setxweightloss.org. Many common holiday-related tasks, including cleaning for visitors, shopping, decorating and baking, offer a surprisingly high calorie burn. People of all ages — from kids to older adults — can participate in the fun. DECKING THE HALLS, PREPARING THE FEAST A 150-pound woman burns an estimated 90 calories per hour while assembling and decorating a Christmas tree. According to Amy Guidry, MS, RD, LD, Dietitian at the CHRISTUS Southeast Texas Bariatric Center at CHRISTUS Hospital – St. Elizabeth, adults also burn approximately 70-80 calories while vacuuming, 40 calories while cleaning the bathroom for 20 minutes, and 100 calories scrubbing floors for at least 30 minutes. Get the family involved in the burn by giving kids age-appropriate tasks. Turn on holiday tunes to infuse some cheer. "Set a limit for the number of songs it takes to finish a task," Guidry says. "You may work harder and faster to beat the clock. Keep your abdominal muscles tightened while cleaning to boost core strength and improve posture, and switch arms regularly while vacuuming, sweeping or scrubbing to prevent possible muscle imbalances." Cooking and baking shed approximately 150 calories per hour. Once you finish enjoying your holiday meal, burn an extra 78 calories washing dishes, then gather the family for an after-dinner stroll to burn 100+ calories during an hour of leisurely walking. MAKING THE MOST OF HOLIDAY SHOPPING Take a parent, child or spouse and make your holiday gift-getting into an energy-burning outing. Two hours of window shopping burns approximately 295 calories. Maximize your calorie output by parking farther away from the store and using the stairs instead of an escalator or elevator. At home, make several small trips up and down the stairs to gather your purchases. According to the American Council on Exercise, a 150-pound adult burns 272 calories during 30 minutes of climbing stairs. Once you've finished unloading, spend 30 minutes wrapping gifts to burn an additional 48 calories. 3 LiveWell | October/November 2014

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