It’s a challenge to eat healthy during the holidays, what with those endless parties with their huge vats of eggnog, gigantic Butterball turkeys, and cakes, pies, pudding and cookies galore. I have many holiday diet recipes to share (and I will, soon!), but the truth is, you won’t always have a say in what’s on the holiday table. Here are my tips on how to survive holiday parties without crashing your diet (and alienating friends and family):
- Eat something (healthy!) before going to a party. Have a banana, an apple, any fruit really, as long as it’s fresh (not from a can) and you eat it plain (put down that chocolate sauce, sister!). This will fill your belly and give you the self-control needed to pick healthy foods once you get to the party.
- Bring something healthy to the party. There is a whole world of healthy recipes out there. You can whip up a batch of low-fat brownies or make yummy spiced nuts in the oven, or even make those chestnuts roasted on an open fire.
- Lay off the cocktails. Alcohol has seven calories per gram (fat = nine calories/gram; protein and carbs = four calories/gram). Add sugary syrups and other ingredients and a cocktail can easily reach up to 500 calories per serving. If you must have a drink, then limit yourself to one, and sip slowly instead of gulping it down.
- Pick a non-meat entrée. Most large parties will have at least one vegetarian attendee, meaning there’s usually a non-meat (and hopefully healthy) dish or side dish.
- Watch your portions. It’s easy to eat too much when in the presence of good company. Carefully measure your portions and watch that you don’t overeat.
- Eat healthy during “off” days. On days you don’t have a party to go to, stick to your healthy holiday diet. If you anticipate that you’d be eating more than usual at parties, you can adjust by eating less during other meals.
- Exercise. It doesn’t have to be “formal” exercise. You can just walk around the block and admire the shops’ Christmas displays or have a snowball fight with the neighborhood kids. Any sort of physical activity will do you good.
- Think happy, calm thoughts. It can be so easy to get frazzled during the holidays, but do yourself a favor and carve out some alone time to de-stress. Take a leisurely bath, read a good book, meditate or do yoga.
I hope you find these suggestions helpful in your pursuit of a holiday healthy diet!
Health and Love,
Summer
