Healthy Eating at Social Events
NO Pre-Party Fasting! Not only does fasting for long hours before a big holiday dinner slow metabolic rates, but you may end up going to the party overly hungry and end up overeating.
Eat small meals and have healthy snacks before a big holiday dinner so that you don't attend the party feeling famished.
Control Dinner Party Choices Pick up a small plate to help control portion sizes and fill it up with healthy appetizers, salad, and vegetables if they are available.
You don't have to sacrifice favorite snacks at holiday parties.
Satisfy a craving with a few small bites, and don't go back for seconds on richer foods.
For dinner, limit or avoid cream sauces, cheesy dips, gravy, and butter.
Savor the food at parties by eating slow.
This gives your brain time to receive the signal that your stomach is full.
Watch the Drinks Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories, and some more than others.
Besides limiting your alcohol intake to one or two servings, pay attention to the type of drinks you have.
Specialty cocktails can be replaced with a light beer or wine.
In addition, alternating between alcoholic and calorie free non-alcoholic drinks helps to pace yourself and stay hydrated.
Know When To Say NO People often feel forced to eat because good natured relatives and friends keep placing more food on their plate.
Others may want you to take home leftovers.
It is okay to politely decline even the most insistent of relatives and friends.
Socialize Many people look at a party as a food event, but there is more to a holiday party than food.
Parties are also about celebrating and enjoying good times in the company of your friends and family.
If you find yourself standing around the food table, start a conversation to divert your attention from the food.
Food Use a small plate; you can always fill up if you want some more later.
Balance your plate: 1 portion (size of your palm) of protein i.
e.
Turkey, 1 portion of potatoes/stuffing, and have a plate of veg and sprouts.
Dessert: Just have one, not three! Christmas Cake: Don't have a piece the size of a large boot.
Crisps: Balance with healthy dips like hummus or guacamole and carrots, cucumber, cauliflower and broccoli.
Make the most of the cake, pies and crisps; they can probably be a meal in themselves, so if you plan them at the right time, you might not need much else if you've had a massive meal that day.
Alcohol Put Food Away: When you drink drink you lose all sense of discernment about what you're going to eat! So put those nibbles/crisps etc away after an hour! Use Mixers: Hang overs are the worst, so add fizzy water to your wine (or lemonade), or drink water in between each drink.
Have 'dry days': Have days off from drinking during the Christmas holiday, plan them now! Be prepared: Get some sports drinks or Resolve in for the next day.
Exercise Plan your your exercise early, so that you definitely can fit it in.
Think 'out of the box' to get your exercise done; maybe you can try something else that fits in more easily, like playing on the Wii/Xbox, or a family swim, or a bike ride with the kids.
Eat small meals and have healthy snacks before a big holiday dinner so that you don't attend the party feeling famished.
Control Dinner Party Choices Pick up a small plate to help control portion sizes and fill it up with healthy appetizers, salad, and vegetables if they are available.
You don't have to sacrifice favorite snacks at holiday parties.
Satisfy a craving with a few small bites, and don't go back for seconds on richer foods.
For dinner, limit or avoid cream sauces, cheesy dips, gravy, and butter.
Savor the food at parties by eating slow.
This gives your brain time to receive the signal that your stomach is full.
Watch the Drinks Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories, and some more than others.
Besides limiting your alcohol intake to one or two servings, pay attention to the type of drinks you have.
Specialty cocktails can be replaced with a light beer or wine.
In addition, alternating between alcoholic and calorie free non-alcoholic drinks helps to pace yourself and stay hydrated.
Know When To Say NO People often feel forced to eat because good natured relatives and friends keep placing more food on their plate.
Others may want you to take home leftovers.
It is okay to politely decline even the most insistent of relatives and friends.
Socialize Many people look at a party as a food event, but there is more to a holiday party than food.
Parties are also about celebrating and enjoying good times in the company of your friends and family.
If you find yourself standing around the food table, start a conversation to divert your attention from the food.
Food Use a small plate; you can always fill up if you want some more later.
Balance your plate: 1 portion (size of your palm) of protein i.
e.
Turkey, 1 portion of potatoes/stuffing, and have a plate of veg and sprouts.
Dessert: Just have one, not three! Christmas Cake: Don't have a piece the size of a large boot.
Crisps: Balance with healthy dips like hummus or guacamole and carrots, cucumber, cauliflower and broccoli.
Make the most of the cake, pies and crisps; they can probably be a meal in themselves, so if you plan them at the right time, you might not need much else if you've had a massive meal that day.
Alcohol Put Food Away: When you drink drink you lose all sense of discernment about what you're going to eat! So put those nibbles/crisps etc away after an hour! Use Mixers: Hang overs are the worst, so add fizzy water to your wine (or lemonade), or drink water in between each drink.
Have 'dry days': Have days off from drinking during the Christmas holiday, plan them now! Be prepared: Get some sports drinks or Resolve in for the next day.
Exercise Plan your your exercise early, so that you definitely can fit it in.
Think 'out of the box' to get your exercise done; maybe you can try something else that fits in more easily, like playing on the Wii/Xbox, or a family swim, or a bike ride with the kids.
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