The Holiday Season is just around the corner. We are yet again filled with lights, carols and the air of festivities. And when there is celebration, there is food. Food that we have tried to avoid all year round will be there available for us at every whim. Some may be awaiting for this and some fearing to lose the battle.
We have to survive the parties and holidays… and we can!
Remember these advices below and you will make it without ending up dead come February.
1. Pre-plan
Accept that there will be a celebration. There will be parties to attend to, and it is time to mingle and to socialize. Yes, you will be at the social event not to eat but to socialize. Bear that in mind and constantly remind yourself.
2. Eat something before going to the party
You might raise your eyebrows at this a little but it truly is a good plan of action. You will eat just a little something. This is to avoid overeating because you are already so hungry by the time food is served. At least you get to pace yourself with food, you are on your right mind to decide which is the best food offered for you and how much you have to eat unlike when you are hungry, you just go ahead and splurge.
3. Bank your calories ahead of time.
It will not be an everyday party, but for occasions such as this, adjust your intake for the whole day. If you know that at this meal you will be on a party and somehow eat more than your usual, try to lessen your intake on your other meals to stay on your caloric level for the day.
4. Scan the buffet table
It is often buffet setting in big gatherings. There are a lot of options to choose from. Therefore it is best that before you stand in line, browse through and scan the buffet table for “lesser evil foods”. What do you know, you might have filled you plate already when at the end of the line there are food of lesser calorie and lesser fat.
5. Offer to bring something to the party
We have to admit that even in our own parties before, we serve tasty and mouth watering foods. We tend to forget about healthy options for fear of them not being popular to guests. So expect that other hosts might think this too. And most often we end up having “no other choice” to the served delights when we are guests. But when you offer to bring something to the party that is low in calories, you will have a choice. Maybe can taste the others but will have more of the healthy one you brought.
6. Give away left overs
If you are hosting the party, forget about recycling left overs. They are what we can term as you “treat” thus wise to have only once a week. If you recycle them tomorrow, you will have 2 treats or 3 or 4 depending on how long the food will last. Give them away as take home to friends or as a good Samaritan to your neighbors. After all you planned it for the party and not for the succeeding days after the event.
7. If on alcoholic beverage – slow down.
Apart from alcohol not being good for the body, alcoholic beverage have calories. They differ in content of alcohol level and in the amount of calories. If not to avoid, at least to go slow in taking it. Do not consume the whole glass and ask for refills right away. Use it for socialization and not as water to quench your thirst. Choose also non-caloric mixers such as diet tonic, club soda and the likes. It is best that you select lower calorie beverages like wine coolers, lite if beer, etc.
See, with proper planning and knowledge, you can manage. You can survive parties and holidays. Just be firm, be in control.