'Tis the season to be jolly! Sometimes the holiday season seems like an endless round of Christmas lunches, parties, and drinks and nibbles with friends. This can spell disaster for our waistlines and by the time New Year rolls around we’re feeling like the only solution is to go on a diet. So here are some tips to help you avoid ending the holiday season with a belly as tubby as Santa’s.
Obviously some events are so enjoyable, and no-one in their right mind would turn down the food. So realise that on some days any sort of eating plan is going by the board. With only a couple of weeks of November left, my 3 week diet is in full swing. However, once we get to the party season. I'm just going to sit back, put any thoughts of guilt aside and make the most of the occasion. Watching the diet will be done on other days.
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| Is it tasty enough to be worth the calories? |
For all the memorable occasions there are also plenty where the food is a to put it politely, bit ordinary. Last year, Karen went out for her office Christmas lunch, and told me the food was terrible. The parsnips had some weird coating and weren’t properly cooked, the turkey was bone dry and the Christmas pudding had been reheated to barely lukewarm.
On those occasions, when the food isn’t good. Either pick the healthy option or just don’t eat it. Of course, be polite if required and pick at it if necessary, but don’t wolf it down. Don’t waste the calories on something which you are not enjoying. Have something tasty and healthy when you get home.
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| Drink wine, festive fizz or low calorie soft drinks. |
Drinks are another area where it can be easy to make healthy choices. The problem with drinks isn’t the alcohol itself, it’s the sugary mixers or beer, which cause your body to pile on the pounds. Drink wine, enjoy a glass of fizz, or choose spirits with low calorie mixers, skip the egg nog and the sweet fruity punches.
The other problem with alcohol is harder to solve. After a few drinks not only do most men look more attractive, but so do the high calorie snacks! To help combat this drink water in between the alcoholic drinks to dilute the effect of the alcohol, and help you feel much better the morning after.
Unless I’m hosting a party, I keep snacks and crisps out of the house and stock up on healthy
nibbles. Then I don’t worry about grazing when I’m out at an event.
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| Make socializing your priority, not eating. |
That said, try to limit your choice from a buffet to the things you’ll enjoy the most. Don’t try everything on the table as sampling too many different flavors can fool your brain into thinking you want to eat more.
Mingle and chat at parties, use the opportunity to catch up with family and friends. It’s hard to eat at the same time as talking, so make socializing, not eating your priority.
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| Healthier options can also be festive treats |
If you are hosting a party remember that your guests are probably having the same weight issues and will thank you if you can offer some tasty yet healthy alternatives to the usual party fare.
Eat healthily in-between events. As the Venus Factor manual says: "Win the week, not the day". Preparation, a meal plan and a shopping list can really help make sure you have quick cook food in and don’t need to grab junk food as you rush between work, shopping and the inevitable Christmas preparations.
Watch your portion sizes, it’s OK to have a slice of grandma’s boozy Christmas cake, but make it a slightly smaller slice.
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| Tightness round the tummy is a big fat deterrent to overeating |
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And above all, try and get enough sleep. Getting enough sleep helps to regulate hormones that keep hunger and appetite at bay. The season is tiring enough without being sleep deprived and extra hungry as well.
Article Source How To Survive the Party Season Without Piling on Pounds
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