Healthy Festive Eating

Tips for Healthy festive Eating:

1. Be realistic. Don’t try to lose kgs during the festive season, instead, try to maintain your current weight.
2. Don’t skip meals. Before leaving for a party or for a friend’s place, eat a snack like protein appetizer(almonds or cheese with salad) to curb your appetite. You will be less tempted to over-indulge.
3. Avoid overeating. Before starting to eat, check out all of the options available. Develop a plan that will allow you to sample the foods you enjoy. Think about your options and ask yourself. Choose smaller portions of your favorite foods, eat slowly, savoring every bite.
4. Eating slowly reduces your chances of eating too much and also enhances the dining experience. Wait at least 15 minutes before going back for seconds and drink water in-between so that you can feel your body’s response to fullness. If at a buffet, position yourself at the end of the line; you will be less likely to go back for seconds.
5. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. Savor your favorite festive treats while eating small portions. Sit down, get comfortable, and enjoy.
6. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating; non-alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.
7. If you overeat at one meal go light on the next. It takes 500 calories per day (or 3,500 calories per week) above your normal/maintenance consumption to gain one pound. It is impossible to gain weight from one piece of pie!
8. Concentrate on people and activities vs. food. Spend time enjoying the company of your friends and loved ones, meeting new acquaintances and having fun. Keep a good distance from the food to help prevent the temptation to keep eating, “nibbling.”
9. Concentrate on your meal while you’re eating it. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the smell, taste, and texture of each item. Research shows that mealtime multitasking (whether at home or at a party) can make you pop mindless calories into your mouth.
10. Promote healthier festive dishes. Make it a goal to start to offer your guests healthier alternatives to your favorite traditional dishes by modifying your recipes using healthier substitutions.
11. Plan time for exercise. Exercise helps relieve stress and prevent weight gain. A moderate and daily increase in exercise can help partially offset increased festival eating. Try 10- or 15-minute brisk walks twice a day.

Written by: Metabolic Balance, Nutritionist