LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. – The six-week stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is traditionally a time for indulging in celebratory food and drinks.

Nutritional program coordinator at the Life Time health resort in Laguna Niguel, Jonathan Higashi, had some tips for getting through the holiday food gauntlet with a little common sense and planning. Holiday feasts can be a challenge when it comes to nutrition as there is a glut of often contradictory information to wade through.

“I think that's the hardest part,” said Higashi. “For example, at one point, eggs were bad now they’re good. Or are they?”

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The New England Journal of Medicine states the average American typically gains only a pound or two over the holiday season, which in itself is not a problem, but over the years the pounds can accumulate.

“We don't want to ruin all the fun of Thanksgiving, right,” said Higashi. “We don't want to take out everything, but I think some of the big things we can do is swap out some of the ingredients.”

For example, nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates like cauliflower and Brussel sprouts make good replacements for simple carbs like mashed potatoes. When preparing that old standby cranberry sauce, which are high in antioxidants, leaving out excess sugar is also a good idea.

Higashi points out that most of the traditional Thanksgiving foods, turkey, yams, green beans, etc., are in themselves great choices, but he adds that choosing high quality ingredients means you can enjoy the flavor of the foods themselves without having to add a lot of excess salt, sugar, and fat as dressing.

“In the big scheme of things, Thanksgiving is one meal,” said Higashi. “What starts to trip us up is that we do lump it all together as the ‘holiday season.’”

Eating normal meals before and after the holiday feasts helps keep appetite and portions in check. Sticking to your regular exercise plan helps avoid the weight gain and lessens the impact of a little indulging.

Christy Nguyen, a member here at Life Time, said she does not restrict foods, but rather focuses on variety while preparing foods as naturally as possible.

“We actually do duck, prime rib, and turkey,” said Nguyen. “So, there's a choice for everybody. But generally, it's just wholly cooked, clean whole foods. And I don't deprive myself at all, I don't believe in diets.”

Everyone is different when it comes to nutrition and, of course, a doctor’s supervision is always recommended. However, one thing Higashi does caution against is starving oneself in preparation for holiday binges.

“You can treat Thanksgiving as just a normal, fun, festive meal,” Higashi said. “But if you're starving, most likely you're going to eat way more than you intended. Again, this is the holiday season. We want to be happy and grateful and joyful during this time, but with the right strategy with the right plan, you can still come out of the holiday season on top.”