It’s easy to gain pounds during the Christmas holiday season. It’s also easier than you think to eat smart during the holiday season!
We all know how to hard it is to avoid gaining weight during the holidays with all the delicious dishes offered at parties, dinners and get-togethers. For those hosting holiday parties on a budget, the healthier food is often the less expensive choice! So here are some tips on how to make smarter food choices this season!
How To Eat Smart During The Holiday Season
Eat Smart Before The Event
Eat before you go to parties or events with lots of snacks or sweets, even if it is something like holiday cookie decorating. Never go to an event famished. Smart eating prior to the event include fresh fruit and yogurt, cheese and crackers, soup, a lean sandwich, protein bars, etc. This will help control eating and loading up a plate with sugary or fatty snacks.
Or make a deal for weekend parties to reward eating smart or dieting during the rest of the week. Eat healthy, then keep in mind that a particular party can be a splurge, sort of like a barter system. Just keep the calorie intake within reason!
Survey Food Options At Events
Upon arrival at a party, quickly take a look at all the options, such as buffet tables, hors d’oeuvre plates, and snacks. Fill up a plate with healthier choices first so by the time the plate is empty, hunger pangs have gone away. Avoid bowls of mixed nuts, chips and dip, or Chex mix.
Decide Between Naughty and Nice Foods
Know what food is more suitable then others. Maybe choose one naughty food and all the rest can be nice foods to ensure a healthier outcome and that you eat smart. Decide on a strategy: eat a couple smaller appetizers, then only snack on veggies, or choose to eat only lean proteins and low-fat foods, such as salmon, meatballs, shrimp cocktail, or meat satays.
Naughty foods:
- Pastry appetizers
- Spinach dip and bread chunks
- Anything bacon-wrapped
- Buffalo wings, especially with sauce
- Creamy or thick dips
- Carmelized nuts, apples or other fruits
- Sugary cocktails
- Cotton candy
- Frosted holiday cookies
- Queso dip and chips
- Sugary sodas
- Eggnog
- Fruitcake
- Swedish meatballs (because of the cream)
- Creamed vegetables
- Pecan pie
- Roast beef cold cuts
- Creamy pasta dishes
Nice foods:
- Plain meatballs or chicken and shrimp on skewers
- Salsa
- Nuts in shells
- Green salads without heavy dressing
- Raw vegetables
- Low-fat chicken or shrimp salads or dips
- Deviled eggs made with low-fat ingredients
- Carpaccio (beef or tuna)
- Tuna
- Hummus and pita chip
- Candy Cane Caprese Salad
- Bruschetta
- Seafood such as smoked salmon that is served alone without lots of sauces
- Fruit salad
- Fruit pie
- White wine
- Lean meats like turkey or ham cold cuts
- Popcorn
- Regular sugar cookies with no frosting
- Sushi, no tempura or rich sauces
Always Limit Alcohol
Alcohol can be a big problem. Not only do many alcoholic beverages have an obscene amount of calories or sugar, but after a couple it can cause one to not care what they eat! With mixed drinks, use club soda, tonic or low-calorie diet sodas. Choose light beer and remember that five ounces of wine is a serving (white is a better option then red). Drink a water or diet soda in between alcoholic beverages.
Exercise A Little More….
Increase the usual exercise routine in order to burn off extra calories from the excess of holiday eating and treats. Do this by waking up a little earlier, or increasing the exercise routine by one or two more sessions per week.
The holidays should be a fun time filled with family, friends, good food, and great times. Don’t stress out about limiting food options, just eat smart as much as possible in order to keep off those extra five Christmas pounds.
Good tips, I often find I eat far too much over the holidays, it all tastes so good!
I tend to overindulge during the holidays so these are excellent tips and reminders.
These are very helpful tips. I like the tip of choosing one naughty food and eating healthy as much as possible. I think it is totally doable!
I need to exercie more these are great tips
Good clever ideas, definitely know when to have moderate choices.
I like all the foods on the nice list I will to stick to eating these
Good tips, the Christmas desert looks so good.
Very informative article with great suggestions. Moderation is the key and that can be a little challenging this time of the year.
Yes, it can certainly be challenging! So many great desserts to eat!
I think I have been better this year so far. Time will tell. Thanks for the tips!
Great tips . I can already feel the extra weight from the holidays . Will have to watch what I eat next year I suppose . It’s so hard with so much food around .
I did pretty good this holiday season, eating before an event is a smart tip. The one thing I did overdo is eating shortbread cookies…toooooooo many!!
Can’t blame you lol!
I’ve been trying to do good, no pop or sweets in the last 2 days, and got the treadmill out.
Awesome! Keep it up!
yup definitely did not eat great over the holidays BUT i enjoyed my time and what I ate and NOW i will get back into my healthier ways and healthier living