It is possible to enjoy the tempting food offerings of the holiday season and still eat healthy, according to a nationally recognized weight management expert at Pitt and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC).

Madelyn Fernstrom, an associate professor of psychiatry and epidemiology in Pitt’s School of Medicine, directs the UPMC Weight Management Center and is associate director of the UPMC Nutrition Center in Pittsburgh.

Fernstrom has spent the last 24 years in the clinic and laboratory studying and treating obesity and eating disorders. As a researcher, she is interested in understanding how biological and psychological factors contribute to weight loss—whether the loss consists of just a few pounds or several hundred. As a clinician, she views obesity as a chronic disease that can be managed, but not cured, through lifestyle change, pharmacotherapy, and, in some cases, surgery.

“Healthy holiday cooking doesn’t mean you have to compromise on your favorite foods or flavors,” Fernstrom said. “There are some small and easy steps that can help you keep unwanted pounds off while keeping you in the spirit of the season.”

Here are some of Fernstrom's tips:

• Substitute low-fat (not nonfat) sour cream or yogurt in dips;

• Use condensed skim, 2 percent, or whole milk, instead of half-and-half or cream;

• Substitute half of the fat called for in a recipe with applesauce;

• Avoid recipes with “extra rich” in the name—this always means more fat added;

• Refrigerate chicken- or beef-based soups overnight, and skim the hardened fat off the top;

• Thicken gravy with tapioca (mixed with a little water) instead of butter or margarine;

• Stick with clear soups. For a great “cream” soup, add milk or condensed skim milk instead of cream;

• Cook poultry with the skin on, and then remove it before eating—this keeps the meat moist;

• Use reduced-fat (not nonfat) salad dressings and mayonnaise when called for;

• Look for reduced-fat (not nonfat) cheeses for sauces and toppings;

• Sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese instead of a handful of shredded full-fat cheddar or mozzarella cheese—this provides lots of cheese flavor with almost no fat and few calories;

• Use an oil cooking spray on the pan before adding oil to reduce the oil used, maintain flavor, and prevent food from sticking;

• Use a butter spray to coat your vegetables before serving, instead of butter or margarine;

• Add raisins, dried cranberries, and pretzel sticks to a bowl of shelled nuts to reduce both calories and fat;

• Use small cookie cutters;

• Top a cake with powdered sugar, cinnamon, or cocoa instead of a thick frosting;

• Make serving sizes of baked goods half of what’s listed in the recipe (if a recipe recommends 12 brownies, cut them into 24 pieces);

• Serve small baked potatoes—sweet or white—and avoid mashing with cream and butter. Keep the “fixins” on the side;

• Chew sugarless gum while cooking, to discourage sampling holiday fare; and

• Make a one-crust pie or try a streusel topping instead.

UPMC Weight Management Center Tips For Holiday Eating (and Activity)

• With a little planning, you can stay in control while enjoying your holiday eating and keeping your activity level up.

• There are no bad foods—just bad portions.

• Become a “taster”—take a bite, and throw the rest out (or leave it on your plate).

• Maximize your sampling—four bites make an hors d’oeuvre: take one bite of four different types, and you have variety while saving calories.

• Don’t go to a party hungry—a small nonfat sugar-free yogurt serving or a cup of a clear soup will keep you filled up enough to maintain control.

• Share an entree with your dining companion.

• Order two appetizers instead of an entree.

• Share a dessert with at least one other person—sharing with two or three is even better.

• Stay away from breads and rolls; limit yourself to one. Take the basket off the table if necessary.

• Always ask for salad dressing on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing, and scoop up some greens.

• Watch your consumption of rice and pasta—think of these as side dishes—and add some lean protein while you cut down on the serving size.

• In a restaurant, explain to the server politely, but firmly, your preferences for sauces and dressings served on the side and for meat/chicken/poultry/fish grilled without added fat.

• “Dilute” your entrees and appetizers with grilled or steamed vegetables.

• When at a buffet, cruise up and down the line and plan your eating.

• Do not feel obligated to please your host by cleaning your plate. Try each item, and, if pressed, simply say you are saving room for the next course.

• Do not refuse food because you’re “on a diet.” This is the fastest way for people to coerce you into eating more than you would choose.

• Cut the calories in fruit juices by making a “spritzer”—half juice/half sparkling water.

• If you consume alcohol, limit your intake to one or two servings in an evening (a serving is a 12-ounce beer, six ounces of wine, or one ounce of hard liquor). “Stretch” your alcohol calories by selecting noncalorie mixers (diet mixers, tomato juice, or Bloody Mary mix) or making a wine spritzer with half wine/half sparkling water. Limit your intake to no more than one serving per hour.

• Keep your physical activity up! Instead of napping after a meal, take a 20- to 40-minute walk. Wherever you are, add extra steps in your day—get off the elevator a flight or two (or more) too soon and climb the stairs; walk up an escalator; park far away in the lot and walk to the store.