Living Well Snack away Santa

In fact, both dietitians said snacking, or eating "mini-meals" as Edison likes to call them, can be an effective step to a healthier 2008.

"Mini-meals get people to think more about healthy options than something out of a vending machine," said Edison, whose practice offers nutrition counseling, personal training and fitness consulting. "Mini-meals are more like half a turkey sandwich, a tortilla rolled up with ham and cheese or soup."

She didn't rule out clam chowder. "I'm a big fan myself, so I would never say don't have some chowder. Just not every day."

Santa might not have time for soup, but a half-sandwich might well hit that jelly-belly spot.

Putnam offered other healthy "smaller meal" ideas to get us thinking outside of the vending machine or prepackaged foods aisle.

"A hearty breakfast is three or four foods, while a snack is two foods," said Edison. "Oatmeal with raisins and walnuts, a glass of milk and a piece of fresh fruit is a healthy breakfast. A cereal alone, like Cheerios with nonfat milk, is not going to satisfy you."

Putnam said she realizes it can be hard to get a good breakfast some mornings. Whether you are scurrying or end up at a morning meeting with not so healthy choices (can you say pastries?), Putnam said something in your body typically is better than nothing.

For instance, if "you do the Seattle thing" and coffee is your breakfast, a latte is the healthier choice compared to black Americano with espresso shots and hot water. At the meeting, look for fruit or yogurt. But if a doughnut or scone is all you can get, better to eat part of it with a cup of mhttp://www.blogger.com/
Kevin health clubilk if available.

Which brings us back to Santa's milk and cookies. Edison said it is possible to make for healthier cookies by substituting walnuts for peanuts ("higher in the healthy omega-3 fats"), using some whole-wheat flour in place of all-purpose white flour ("if you use all whole-wheat flour, the cookies will probably get too hard") and using less sugar than designated ("almost every recipe can be reduced about half or so" without affecting the taste or texture of the goodie).