I absolutely don’t care or think about calories, fat, or sugar during the holidays. I look at holidays as a time to enjoy the food, with no guilt whatsoever. I let loose and just think of spending time with family (and food, duh).
But for those of you that desire to still watch what you eat here are some tips to help you.
The good thing is these 6 tips can be applied to any holiday or party situation:
1. Eat sensibly first
Eat a healthy, well-balanced meal before heading out (or before your guests start arriving). This is the easiest way to make sure that you’re not thrown off-balance by the tempting selection of munchies that you’re bound to run into. Fiber and protein are your best choices as these stay with you longer and curb your appetite.
2. Drink LOTS of water
One of the easiest ways to avoid overindulging is to stay hydrated. That means drinking lots of water so that you feel full. Liquids fill your stomach and help suppress hunger. Whenever you have a meal, have a big glass of water (or other low calorie drink) with it to fill your stomach.
3. Eat Veeerrryyyy Sllllooowwwlllyyyy
We overeat for the most part because we eat way too fast. The signals to our stomach telling us we’re full is a delayed reaction (about 20 minutes) and the more you chew and the slower you eat, the more likely you’re not going to overdo it. This way you’ll feel full and consume fewer calories.
4. Don’t Take Food Home
I love Thanksgiving leftovers, but if you’re trying to watch your weight simply don’t bring any home with you. That way there’s no possibility of you indulging any more than you had to.
5. Pack Up Leftover Food for Your Guests to Take Home
If you were hosting Thanksgiving at your house, for every guest that leaves pack them a plate of food. The less food you have in your house at the end of the night, the better for you. Unfortunately, if they’re practicing the above ‘don’t take food home’ tip, then you have to find something else to do with it…lol.
6. Use Healthy Substitutions in Your Cooking
If you are the hostess and the cook, use healthy substitutions in your food. Chances are you (or your guests) won’t even know the difference, or it’ll still be so good they won’t care.
Use:
- whole white wheat flour or whole wheat flour for white flour
- unsweetened applesauce for sugar, oil, or butter
- brown rice or quinoa for white rice
- olive oil or coconut oil for vegetable oil
- dry beans for canned beans
- whole wheat, brown rice, ancient grains, or gluten free pasta for regular pasta
- ground turkey for ground beef
- ancient grains, whole white wheat bread or whole wheat bread for white bread
- oven baked, steamed, or boiled for deep frying
Leave a Reply