Healthy Eating Habits to Avoid Extra Calories Over the Festive Season

Healthy eating habits often fall by the wayside during the festive season, which is a time of indulgence and excess. There is good food, great times, and calories galore, but there are ways to minimise the damage to your waistline over the festive season. By simply making a few healthy choices, you can happily survive the festive season unscathed.

Healthy Eating Habits At Home

Choose a veggie first. During the holidays, it’s best always to have loads of crudites, salads and vegetables on the table. It means you can always snack and fill yourself up on healthier foods, instead of gravitating towards those cookies and cakes. If you commit to snacking on low-fat, low-calorie vegetables, you will be less likely to overdo the most fattening foods and keep high cholesterol at bay. Choose lean cuts. Try to stick to lean meat cuts, and avoid cream-laden sauces and dressings. Any grilled or roasted meat can land on the healthy food list as long as it is prepared with simple herbs and seasonings and is free of excess fat. Safe food choices also include all the delicious lunch meats on the holiday deli platter. Eating slowly and chewing properly is the best practice to avoid overeating. Bite-sized pieces force you to eat slower, making you feel like you are eating more than you are. This is not only great for the hips but also heart-healthy.

Healthy Eating Habits At Parties

One of the best ways to ensure that you get healthy food options at a party is to bring along your favourite dish. This way, you have control over the ingredients and can create a healthier version of one of your favourites. Healthy eating habits often fall by the wayside during the festive season, which is a time of indulgence and excess. There is good food, great times, and calories galore, but there are ways to party with a plan.  Parties are where people tend to make the worst food choices. If you are on a weight loss programme, then know your limits. Do not be tempted to fall for that ‘just one more’ mentality. Set your limit and stick to it; this will ensure you are not tempted to veer from your goals.

Weight loss can be difficult during the holidays, but thanks to new modern eating programmes, even those who struggle can succeed. But it will take willpower. Don’t skip the dessert. That’s right, eat it. Denial of something sweet will leave you tempted to binge, so have a little help, and don’t eat too much. No dessert is that bad when eaten in moderation. You might also want to skip over heavier desserts like cheesecakes and cakes and opt for the lighter meringues with fresh fruit, stewed fruit and fruit salad. Making healthy food choices during the holiday season isn’t as hard as it seems; it just takes a conscious decision and the commitment to stick to them. Happy Holidays!