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The countdown to
Christmas has begun. And as we eagerly gobble an advent calendar chocolate to mark
each day it draws nearer, it begs the question: how can you not over-indulge at Christmas? Along with the festive décor and merry music, temptation is everywhere.
Amidst endless office parties, social engagements, and family gatherings which wreak
havoc on your normal diet and workout schedule, you also have to contend with endless
snacks, candies and chocolates proffered seemingly everywhere this time of year.
All of these factors
combine to say a resounding “Happy New Year” to plenty of new friends – your love
handles – but it doesn’t have to be this way! According to UK dietitian and nutritionist Jane Freeman, it is possible to eat, drink and be merry during the holidays without
piling on the pounds or losing motivation, so let’s hear it from the expert…
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1. Limit
the pig-outs
Keep the overindulgent
days to a minimum – for instance, the day you finish up at work, the office party,
Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. If you plan to have supper with friends, still
have a high-fibre, low-fat breakfast and lots of salads and fruit at lunch as snacks.
One or two days of overindulging won’t be all too disastrous, but a month of festive
feeding certainly won’t tip the scales in your favour.
2. Keep it
light
If you’re the host,
offer your guests some light, refreshing nibbles. Try crisp vegetables with a spicy
salsa, grilled prawns or salmon, pretzels (instead of crisps), lean ham rolled with
asparagus or stuffed mushrooms with ricotta. As a side dish, opt for steamed, grilled
or stir-fried vegetables, plenty of salad with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar based
dressing (makes the salad taste better and slows down digestion). For the main meal,
choose fresh seafood, lean meat and poultry dishes.
3. Stay active
Exercising your booty
will help to counter the increased calorie intake during this time. Visit your nearest
Virgin Active – check out our Christmas timetables. Or walk it off early in the
morning under the Christmas lights! Walk your pooch or offer to take the neighbour’s
if you don’t have one. Include the family in fun activities like walking, swimming
and playing cricket.
4. Be picky
When faced with a
buffet, survey the festive spread on offer and then decide what you absolutely must
have a taste of (of course grandma’s pudding is a must), but be selective. Have
small amounts of foods you don’t normally have, and leave the ordinary stuff such
as bread rolls you have during the rest of the year.
5. Go easy
on the booze
Dilute wine and spirits
with ice and mineral water, ask for light beer or alternate your favourite bubbly
with juice or sparkling mineral water. Alcohol is packed with calories (a bottle
of wine contains around 500 calories) and it also frees your inhibitions so you
eat more than you normally would. Also have a bite to eat before you drink to slow
the absorption of alcohol into your system. And don't forget the non-alcoholic options:
tomato juice; lime and soda; grapefruit or cranberry juice with mineral water; non-alcoholic
wine or beer; ginger beer; brewed soft drinks (tastes like beer, available from
supermarkets); diet soft drinks; or iced tea.
Did you know?
- Holiday time is when many people gain weight, says a US study
which found an average weight gain of up to 2kg during the Christmas holiday season.
A study of 195 Americans found that over half their weight gained in one year occurred
during the six week holiday season from Thanksgiving in November until Christmas.
They also found that people who were overweight were more likely to gain more than
those who were not. In many cases, the extra weight was still there six months later,
resulting in an accumulative effect over the years which could ultimately lead to
weight gain spinning out of control.
- According to the Food Standards Agency (FDA) website, the
average person eats a gut busting average of 7000 calories on Christmas Day. It
would take roughly 780 minutes of running to burn off those calories.
Our advice
Focus on maintaining
rather than losing weight at this time of the year and try to eat healthy meals
75% of the time. Above all, be merry and enjoy the festive season!
(Reference: J Yanovski
S Yanovski K Sovik et al. A prospective study of holiday weight gain. N Eng J Med
2000, 342: 861-867.)
Article by Jane Freeman, a member of Dietitians Unlimited which is a part of the
British Dietetic Association (BDA). To find a registered dietitian in your area,
visit the Dietitians unlimited website at
www.dietitiansunlimited.co.uk
or click on the link above.
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