Pr eparing for Pesach by Aliza Beer, MS RD CDN

Health & F tness

Preparing for Pesach

By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN

Pesach is typically the most challenging yom tov, both in terms of preparation and in terms of weight gain. Historically, I see the largest weight gains in my clients occur over Pesach. This year we are dealing with extremely difficult circumstances. Schools and shuls are closed, as are most businesses, and we have been ordered to stay home. The environment in the weeks preceding Pesach has been nothing but destructive for anyone trying to lose or even maintain their weight. So how can we expect to survive Pesach somewhat intact? Adhere to the following guidelines, and you will emerge from this yom tov season and crisis iy”H healthy and no heavier than before! • Keep it Simple: This is not the year to try 10 different new kugels/ cakes/souffles for yom tov. Sometimes the less options the better. When there are too many options, people tend to overeat because they are interested in “tasting” everything but a little bit of this and a little bit of that adds up to whole lot of something! Most of us are not having big family gatherings, so it’s OK to make a more streamlined holiday menu. • Minimize Starchy Sides: Most kugels have a few ingredients in common, such as potato starch, sugar, eggs, and oil – none of which will help us in our weight maintenance goal. Make the bare minimum of this genre and stick to roasted veggies, like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, and cabbage. Just spray with a cooking spray or drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. You can be adventurous and use other herbs and spices as well. You can also roast potatoes (sweet potatoes are the healthiest), instead of potato kugel. Cauliflower can be made into faux mashed potatoes; mix it with some sautéed onions made with very little oil. • Manage the Matzah: Try to get whole wheat matzah if possible. During the sedarim one should eat the required portion of matzah, but please no more than that! As it is, the amount of matzah is not small; it is also late at night and you will surely be having several courses to this meal. For the rest of Pesach try not to eat more than half of a round shmura matzah or one whole square of machine made matzah in one sitting. Matzah is thin because it did not rise, not because it’s calorie free. • Cut Down on the Cakes: Blame it on corona. Tell your family it is too hazardous to your health to keep running to the supermarket for ingredients, and you are too stressed and busy home-schooling everyone. Bake very little and try making some healthier options like merengues or buy low-fat diet cheesecakes that come pre-portioned. • Don’t Come to the Sedarim Starving: Eat a small dinner consisting of a protein and salad or veggie earlier at your regular dinner time, this way you won’t be too hungry by the time you start the seder and overeat. Keep your portions small at the seder meals and try filling up on soup. Don’t eat any starchy sides (remember

all that matzah!), and nibble on just a few bites of dessert. • Exercise: I’ve been preaching the merits of physical activity since day one of this lockdown. During the days of yom tov, weather permitting, go for a walk each day. On the days of chol hamoed it is imperative that you either use your home equipment, download an exercise app, or walk, but something must be done every single day. The exercise will save you physically and mentally. Another great social distancing activity is bike riding. • Plan Ahead: Just like you are planning and preparing your menus for yom tov, plan the night before what you yourself will eat the next day. You might even want to write it down in advance. When you log your day in advance, you are more likely to stick to it and less likely to deviate from it. • Lighten Up: We have a threeday yom tov this year which means six yom tov meals. It is extraordinarily unhealthy to have six heavy meat meals in a row. My suggestion is to make Thursday and Friday lunches parve or dairy and serve primarily fish. If the family doesn’t eat fish and all six meals must be fleishig, then try to eat just the appetizer of fish and some soup, and keep these two meals lighter. • Reduce the Red Meat: Don’t eat red meat at every fleishig meal. Red meat has triple the amount of calories and fat than chicken! So when you consume a red meat meal you are consuming hundreds of calories more in that meal simply because you had red meat versus chicken. Numerous studies have shown that red meat consumption increases the risk of many types of cancer. Over the eight days of the chag, I’m recommending no more than four red meat meals.

It has been a rough few weeks for everyone. Give yourself a break and stick to the basics. No one is expecting a tea room or midnight madness. We have all learned that there is much about life that we have no control over, such as the weather, traffic, and a viral pandemic. There are some things, however, that we do have control over, and what we eat is one of them. It is up to you to decide to seize control.

We are coming into this yom tov very grateful for our health and our family. Of course you should cook and eat your delicious food, but please do so in moderation. Focus on what Pesach is really all about: a commemoration of tremendous miracles where Hashem saved us, and showed the world Who, in fact, is in charge and runs the world. We are currently living through similar circumstances, and I pray that yom tov will bring the refuah and yeshuah that we all so desperately need.

Wishing my readers and clients a chag kasher v’sameach!

Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.

jd far uanj!

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