At Christmas time a lot of people say ‘I just want to eat whatever I want’,…that’s fine, but choose one day, not five days, to go for it. Also, staying active over the holiday period can help keep indulgences in check. Don’t stop exercising. Nobody wants to come back from holidays and have to hit gym harder than before. A little bit of consistencey goes a long way.
1. Swap a plate for a taste.
When eating, you experience 90% of the taste in the first mouthful, while flavor and taste decreases in every mouthful to follow. With this in mind, if you’ve decided to indulge just a little this Christmas, opt for a small amount and savour it as much as possible. Remember – if you go back for more you won’t enjoy it as much as that initial first bite.
2. Swap accepting body blowout defeat for winning the mini battles of the will.
A recent survey found that despite knowing how to eat well, 4 out of 5 people say their willpower is to blame for holiday season over indulgences. But, mini goals are a great way to keep motivated and stay on track. “Set yourself some small goals to achieve over the Christmas period and reward yourself as you achieve them (but not with food!). Perhaps for every Christmas party you endure without falter you could reward yourself with a trip to the nail salon, or perhaps a round of golf. This paired with structured weight loss goals will really assist with willpower during the season.”
3. Swap fatty for fresh hors d’ourves.
Pate is full of saturated fat but there are delicious healthy alternatives. You can make your own homemade salmon dips, which are high in good fats or a healthy hummus dip instead. They’re both really tasty, but much healthier.” Opt for goat cheese on your cheese plate over brie or blue. “Goat cheese is generally lower in fat, less processed and lower in sodium. It’s also easier to digest and contains more enzymes.” When it comes to other nibbly bits go for unroasted, unsalted nuts and ditching chips for toasted pita breads: You can do your own and sprinkle them with lots of paprika and herbs.
Swap emotional eating for active engagement.
“Emotional eating is something we are all prone to,” says Chris Lynton. “If you catch yourself reaching for the cookies after a trying day with the relatives, make sure you distract yourself with something a little more positive. Hit the pavement to try and work off angst or make plans to catch up with a good friend for coffee. Keeping strong in trying situations is key, everyone hits hurdles, it’s how you handle them that counts.”
Swap high GI (Glycemic Index) for low GI.
According to the Glycemic Index Foundation, the glycemic index or GI ranks a carbohydrate according to its effect on our blood glucose levels. Choosing low GI carbs – the ones that produce only small fluctuations in our blood glucose and insulin levels – is the secret to long-term health reducing your risk of heart disease and diabetes and is the key to sustainable weight loss. A few simple swaps are white potato for sweet potato, corn for carrots and swapping white bread crumbs in your stuffing for whole grain bread or traditional oats.
Swap heavy for light.
Choose roasted chicken, lamb or turkey over a heavy meal of roast pork or beef. “A long platter of roasted or barbequed asapragus, zuchinni, squash and bell pepper looks gorgeous and is appetising. Try it topped with parsely and lemon wedges. Then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.”
Swap a glass of bubbly for a glass of sparkling water.
Alternating drinks will lower your intake of calories and can help steer you towards better food choices. In a survey, 60 per cent admitted that drinking alcohol lowered their ability to “say no” when tempted by poor food choices. “Set yourself a rule to have a glass of water between drinks and cap yourself at a certain number of drinks,” Chris Lynton suggests. “If you are to drink, opt for lower carbohydrate beverages such as vodka with soda and a squeeze of lime and stay away from too much beer and wine.”
Swap heavy desserts for lighter fresh sweets.
Puree vanilla yogurt with raisins, honey and cinnamon. Serve with fruit! Also, vanilla pannacotta with strawberry puree and gingerbread cookies is a delicious option on the lighter side!
Swap saving for sharing.
Sharing is caring at Christmas. It can also help keep your waist line intact. “In the instance that you host your own soiree, guests often bring sweet treats as gifts,” he says. “While it’s a lovely gesture, left-over treats are a sure way to put your willpower in jeopardy. Make sure you share food gifts and left-overs with your guests so no naughty nibbles remain in the fridge to tempt you tomorrow.”
Most importantly…enjoy the holiday season! Don’t get overly-consumed with guilt or temptation. Spend good quality time with family. Appreciate the holidays for the things that really matter, instead of getting hung up on the things that don’t!
