Christmas always involves plenty of partying. Whether it’s your office Christmas party or a family gathering, it tends to be a time to meet up with friends and family and overindulge around the holidays.
It can be all too easy to decide to give up healthy living until the New Year.
BUT… I want to give you my best tips to make sure these seasonal festivities don’t put you too far off track.
Below, I’m going to show you what you can do before, during, after, and the morning after. These tips will make sure you survive the holiday season without packing on the pounds.
Let’s get started with what you can do before your big party to set yourself up for a win!
Plan Ahead!
Due to numbers attending Christmas dinners and parties, hotels and restaurants often ask that you make menu choices before the event. If you make the choice beforehand, you avoid the risk of being tempted with a higher calorie meal. Alternatively, give them a call and see if they will provide something low in fat.
Or if you are going to a drinks reception, try to have a healthy meal beforehand. If you don’t have time for a full meal, fit in a snack such as fruit, yoghurt, salad or crackers with low fat cheese. Being hungry means you will be more tempted to go for those high fat and high calorie finger foods.
Miss it, miss out?
If the meal you are having is a four or five course affair, don’t be afraid to skip one of the courses. Missing one course won’t leave you hungry at the end of the meal – all you will miss are the extra calories and that uncomfortable feeling of being too full!
Water, water, everywhere!
Keep a glass of water in front of you. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day of your party has a doubly positive effect. Firstly, it will make you feel more full, so you’ll be less likely to snack. Secondly, it will help you out when it comes to the alcohol.As dehydration is the prime cause of a hangover, being fully hydrated will help to keep the dreaded headache and shakes at bay the following morning.
Bring your own…
If you are going to a house party and know the person hosting the party well, ask if you can you bring one of your own dishes that you know is low in fat.
Don’t mix your drinks – stick to clear spirits or wine with soda water
Although mixing your drinks will not make you any more or less drunk, it can be the reason for an upset stomach in the morning. Your best bet is to stick with one type of drink throughout the night and mix it with water when possible. If you’re drinking spirits, have either water in it or order it ‘on the rocks.’ If you’re drinking wine, add some soda water to help with hydration.
The facts on finger-food
Avoid deep fried finger foods like chicken nuggets, cocktail sausages or samosas – one tiny cocktail sausage can have over 60 calories and 5g of fat! Vol-au-vents, quiches and other pastry-based foods are high in fat – remember that pastry is usually 50% fat! Vegetable sticks and dips are a good option but watch out for those fatty dips – one tablespoon of mayonnaise or sour cream dip has around 170 calories and 17g of fat. Go for yoghurt or vegetable dips and vegetable or bean pate instead – you could save yourself over 100 calories per tablespoon! Mini sandwiches are a healthy choice but avoid fillings based on mayonnaise. So, go ahead – enjoy all those Christmas parties AND feel good!
And since the holiday season can extend over a couple of weeks (or more, depending on when the parties begin!) that can add up to more than a few pounds. If you do indulge, make note of the equivalent walking time you may have to include into a busy schedule and consider one of the lower calorie treats instead:
| Festive feast | Walking time (moderate pace) |
Alternative treat |
| Beer | 40 mins per pint | Wine or port |
| Chocolate | 45 mins per oz | Clementine |
| Cream liqueur | 45 mins per glass | Mulled wine |
| Sausage rolls | 45 mins per 2 mini sausage rolls |
Low fat dip with crudités |
| Mince pie | 1 hour 5 mins per pie |
Baked apple |
| Christmas pudding |
1 hour 30 mins per serving |
Low fat sponge |