The year 2014 is nearing its end and it’s that time of the year when people look forward to partying and spending time with family & friends. Christmas & New-year parties are planned on full swing and during this period, people hardly think about diet & healthy eating.
It’s not wrong to enjoy the party season but what’s important is that you do not let this be a reason to gain weight. With healthful choices, you can stay in shape whilst being a part of all the celebrations:
- Drink a lot of water throughout the day. It will not only make you feel full for most part of the day but also help in flushing out harmful toxins from the body.
- Keep away from temptations. Fried Appetizers, Junk foods, Aerated dinks and Alcoholic beverages are extremely tempting. The best way to avoid this temptation is by keeping a safe distance from such food items. If you know that they are placed at a certain part of the serving table, it’s better to position yourself far away from it. The lesser such foods are visible to you; the lower would be the chances of you wanting to have them.
- Consuming 1 or 2 standard alcoholic drinks may add to the enjoyment of your celebratory events, but over-consumption of alcohol can lead to weight gain and have a negative impact on your blood sugar. What’s more, Alcohol affects certain parts of the brain that control concentration, behavior, coordination and emotions. It can also diminish your judgment skills and lower inhibitions, leading to poor food choices
- Opt for sea food and lean protein. Avoid carbohydrates. Chicken is one of the finest forms of proteins. Always choose breast meat as it contains the lowest amount of fat
- After each glass of alcohol, drink a glass of water. Here’s how you can reduce the calories in wine – Mix ½ glass of wine with ½ a glass of carbonated water.
- Have a healthy snack from home before leaving for a party. This way you will reduce the chances of snacking on high calorie party food later at the venue. A bowl of cereal/oats or even a brown bread sandwich could be a better snacking option.
- If you are extremely tempted to have some of the delicious food at the party, then you can do so but make sure to keep a watch on the portion size. Also do not forget to burn all the excess calories the next day at the gym
A word of Advice – This is not the time to focus on losing weight (That’s something most health conscious individuals do throughout the year) as doing so could ruin all the festive fun. Christmas & New-year is an occasion to make the most of the time that you spend with your loved ones. All you need to focus on is, to maintain your body weight and not gain extra pounds.
