Much of the disastrous 10 pounds per decade (that is suspected of being the foundation of our obesity crisis) is acquired between Thanksgiving and New Years. Regardless of your familial background, there are more gatherings, celebrations and opportunities to eat at this time of year.
Navigating the calorie-rich celebrations so you can enjoy the holiday season without the backside burden takes a tiny bit of practice. The key is to go in with a holiday game plan:
- Never go to a party hungry. A boiled egg and an apple beforehand will fill you with fiber and protein without a lot of calories.
- Be the one who always brings the vegetable platter with low fat yogurt dip or hummus.
- Seat yourself next to said vegetable platter and nibble to your heart’s content. The goal is to fill you up while you still have willpower and are sober.
- Promise yourself you will not eat the chips, popcorn, peanuts, chocolates and any other manner of crap before the main course. Afterwards, if you are still hungry, portion yourself a handful onto a plate. Studies show that we eat more from a larger bag, box or bowl than when we pull out what we think we want. Even when we know we are tricking ourselves, it is better to be aware when we are overdoing it, chances are better this way that you make up for any indiscretions.
- Whether you are having a buffet, cocktails-only or a full sit down dinner, fill half of your plate with green vegetables, a quarter with starchy vegetables, like carrots and squash and the other quarter with lean protein.
- Avoid anything deep fried. Note: This is the first time I have used the word “avoid”.
- Never have more than 2 alcoholic beverages. Not only can calories from alcohol not be burned as fuel, but they also reduce your inhibitions, which likely means you will eat more!
After the celebration season, you will need different skills but, if you follow these steps and minimize the diet damage you do over the holiday, you shouldn’t have too much trouble working it off come New Year’s resolution time.
Theresa Albert is private, on call nutritionist in Toronto. She is @theresaalbert on twitter and found daily at www.myfriendinfood.com