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Q: Winter holidays are a time for family get-togethers — and a lot of big meals. How can we eat right while enjoying our holiday favorites? A: I compare good nutrition to being financially responsible. Realize that you only have a certain number of calories to spend at one time and stick within that nutrition budget.  Your budget is allotted per meal, so saving up by not eating breakfast will only lead to a slower metabolism and more calorie absorption when you overspend at lunch. Plan ahead. Think about the foods that you really want to enjoy and savor them in small amounts. With all of the sweet potatoes, stuffing and desserts, it can be difficult to say no. Decide in advance which foods you will choose to spend your calories on. Pumpkin pie is one of the healthier dessert offerings, especially when eaten without the crust. If you’ve spent wisely during the meal, you can easily afford a piece of pie at the end.   Q: Shopping makes us tired and weary, and we give in to peppermint milkshakes. Are treats OK in moderation? A: Everything is OK in moderation, but with the serving sizes available, moderation can be challenging. With high-fat, high-sugar beverages, we fill up less and forget that we’ve eaten. For some reason, we don’t tend to count those calories or feel satiety as a result, the way that we do with solid foods.   Skinny lattes and splitting high-calorie drinks with a friend are better options when you want to indulge.   Q: Where can we find healthy support and recipes? A: Websites such as www.foodnetwork.com and www.cookinglight.com provide recipes and healthy cooking tips. The Food Network shows difficulty level and prep time. Cooking Light has more of the nutritional content and offers some gourmet options.  Also, www.livestrong.com has great information for ways to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The more you learn, the easier it is to transform your old habits into healthier choices for the future.   Q: What issues do patients face the most when overeating during the holidays? A: Many people give up on healthy eating over the holidays. Unfortunately, Thanksgiving leads into Christmas, which leads into New Year’s, and that can bring a cascade of calories over a two-month period, which can take six months to remedy. Every day, every meal is a chance to get your eating in check.  It’s similar to the spending we do around the holidays which can cause financial woes for months to come. Overdoing it for a short period of time is not worth the after-effects.   Q. What should we do the morning after overindulgence? A: Do not punish yourself by starving to make up for last night’s dietary indiscretions.  Wake up, start the day with a couple of glasses of water and a healthy breakfast, including fiber such as oatmeal or whole grain toast, and some lean protein, such as egg whites or skim milk. Exercise for at least 30 minutes, preferably 60 minutes, and start to plan your meals for the week to get back on track.  

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NAME: Lynn Moore BUSINESS: Memorial Hermann Northwest EXPERIENCE: Twelve years as a registered dietitian EDUCATION: Bachelor’s in dietetics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign