jerusalem (jps) | Passover — with its heavy family meals, piles of matzah, potatoes and desserts — is liable to raise the collective weight of the population by many tons. Dietitians and other experts advise watching what you eat and getting as much physical activity as you can to avoid being weighed down by the holiday.
Dietitians from Maccabi Health Services advise sitting down to major meals during the holiday when you’re not hungry. It’s best to eat something nutritious and filling, such as fruit or yogurt, an hour or two before starting the seder.
You can taste everything, even dessert, but minimize the amount you eat. Smaller cups of wine at the seder significantly reduce the calorie intake. Choose fish, cooked vegetables and chicken to fatty meats and heavy side dishes.
Avoid fried foods; instead, bake and grill them. But a baked potato has almost as many calories as a piece of matzah, so don’t exaggerate.
A standard piece of matzah has 120 calories — equivalent to one-and-a-half slices of bread but much less filling. Low-calorie and whole-wheat matzah is preferable to the ordinary kind (but more expensive). If you are hosting a seder, prepare only small desserts so there are few leftovers for you to eat afterwards.