Mashed potatoes and gravy, nyama choma, chicken, chapati, and other holiday favorites are the highlights of any celebration. As the Christmas holidays approach, it’s important to think ahead and plan how to stay healthy and fit in the midst of temptation, as more and more tasty treats appear at work as gifts and at festive gatherings.
The holidays are a time to enjoy friends, family and food. People tend to gain a lot of weight during this time but these extra pounds can be avoided by being mindful of how much and what we eat.
The following strategies can also help you make smart choices concerning food:
- Set health goals
Consider your health goals for the holiday season. These can range from staying active while connecting with others, to reducing stress and preventing weight gain. These goals can be achieved by buying healthy groceries and cooking them at home, scheduling regular physical activity and setting aside a little quiet time for yourself.
- Adopt a flexible mindset
Many people have an attitude of all or nothing when it comes to dieting: you are either on a diet or not on diet. This attitude can lead to negative self-talk, or being too hard on yourself for small indulgences, overeating, or gaining a bit of weight. Others will throw their plan out the window when they think they’ve slipped up and ‘fallen off the wagon'. Celebrations don’t have to derail your lifestyle! Every time you put something in your mouth or choose to exercise it adds up over time and this will affect your weight loss or weight gain goals.
- Bring your own food
When going for a party or Christmas gathering be it brunch, lunch or dinner, try and carry or contribute by bringing a healthy dish that you can eat comfortably. By eating your offering first you ensure that there is at least one dish you can have without feeling guilty because chances are it was a healthy snack.
- Fill up on Starters
Most starters will tend to be soups or salads. You can eat larger portions of these and avoid eating too much during the main course. Avoid cream based soups though as they are loaded with calories.
- Stand away from Munchies
Stand more than an arm's length away from munchies like bowls of nuts or chips, while you chat and mingle so that you're not tempted to indulge.
- Concentrate on your meal while eating
Pay attention to your food. Savour the smell, the taste, and the texture of each food item. Research shows that multitasking while eating (whether at home or at a party) can make you consume more calories than you intended. Of course, since dinner-party conversations are only natural, try and set your food down until you have finished chatting so that you are more aware of what you're taking in. Eating slowly allows your body time to send signals your brain when you're full, which takes about 20 minutes. If you eat too quickly, it’s easy to gobble up twice as much as what your body needs before your brain even gets the message to stop.
- Eat before Going to a party
Before going out, have a healthy snack to curb your appetite. Eating a heavy breakfast for example helps to prevent overeating later in the day. Do not skip meals throughout the day in preparation of the big feast as this may result in over eating. Include lots of fibre in your diet by eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Fiber-rich foods are lower in calories and high in volume so they will satisfy your hunger.
- Limit the number of high-calorie foods on your party plate
Research has shown that when faced with a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, smells, shapes, and colors, people eat more, regardless of their true hunger levels. Choose foods wisely, filling your plate with low-calorie items, such as leafy green salads, vegetable dishes, and lean proteins, and taking smaller portions of the richer ones. That way, you can eat a larger amount of food for fewer calories and not feel deprived. Be careful with beverages. Alcohol can lessen inhibitions and induce overeating. Non alcoholic beverages can be full of calories and sugar.
- Manage Portion Size
Take sensible portions so you don’t end up eating too much. Use smaller plates and serving utensils. Try a salad or dessert plate for the main course to serve yourself. What looks like a normal portion on a 12-inch plate or a troughlike bowl can be sinfully huge. Pour drinks into tall, skinny glasses, not the fat, wide kind. Eat until you are satisfied, not stuffed. If you overeat during one meal, go light on the next one. It is also advisable to stay hydrated. Your brain can sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. A large glass of water before a meal (and especially before considering seconds) can help lessen the amount of food you consume.
- Control your environment
Plan to use sheer willpower during large family dinners. For example: Eat with a small group when you can. Dining with six or more people can cause you to eat 76 percent more, most likely because the meal can last so long. (After an hour of staring at the stuffing, you’re more likely to have seconds.) Sit next to a fellow healthy eater (there’s strength in numbers). Or sit next to that uncle who eats slowly, so that his pace can slow yours. Wait for all the food to be on the table before making your selections. People who make their choices all at once eat about 14 percent less than do those who keep refilling when each plate is passed. Keep visual evidence around of what you’ve consumed so you don’t forget. Leave an empty bottle of wine or beer in view and you’ll be less tempted to drink more.
- Keep up the exercise
Be realistic. Do not try to lose weight during the holidays; instead try to maintain your current weight. Plan for morning workouts or walks so that you don’t get distracted later in the day by parties and events. Stay determined to squeeze in at least one or two workouts a week, no matter how busy you get. If you don’t have time for your daily workout, do a few 10 - 15 minute spurts of exercise throughout the day (to accumulate the recommended 30 minutes a day). These can be just as effective at maintaining overall fitness. Staying in a routine will mean it's not as hard to get back on track after the holidays, so there's no need to make a resolution for the New Year. We all know those don’t last! In addition to staying active, try to avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time, such as when watching football games or eating. Too much sitting is hazardous to your health. Share your goals, track your progress and have a little bit of fun with the process. Check in, take selfies and tweet it out. Let your friends know your plans and you'll be likely to garner support and positivity.
- Choose your indulgences
You intend to stave off feelings of deprivation by allowing yourself a “cheat” day a week. Choose your indulgences wisely. Instead of wasting calories on foods that you can have at any time of the year, pick items that are truly special and unique to the season.
- Take the focus off food
Turn candy and cookie making time into non edible projects like making wreaths or art decorations. Plan group activities that aren’t all about food with family and friends. Try serving a holiday meal to the community (spreading holiday cheer), playing games, power-walking in the mall while shopping, or going on a walking tour or hike.
- Get enough Sleep
Going out more and staying out later often means cutting back on sleep. Sleep loss can make it harder to control your blood sugar, and when you’re sleep deprived, you'll tend to eat more and prefer high-fat, high-sugar food. Aim for 7 to 8 hours per night to guard against mindless eating.
The emotions of celebrations also come into play. Joy, sadness and stress are associated with overeating during the holidays. People who are emotional eaters may be particularly vulnerable to temptations around the holidays. If holiday stress causes you to derail from your health plans, consider ways to reduce stress and manage emotions. This might include talking to a trusted friend, meditation, physical activity, or just getting outside. Plan outings once or twice a week with people who make you feel happy. If it’s in your best interest, also feel okay about declining invitations without feeling guilty.
Support your family and friends too. Encourage them to eat healthy during celebrations and throughout the year. Consider baking, grilling or broiling food instead of frying. Replace cream with Greek yoghurt and mashed potatoes with mashed cauliflower. Make take-home containers available ahead of time, so that guests don’t feel they have to eat everything in one sitting.
Remember, it’s a single day! Enjoy the holidays. Plan a time for activity. Incorporate healthy recipes into your holiday meals and don’t restrict yourself from enjoying your favorite holiday foods. If you worry about eating too much, the reality is that one or two days won’t make or break your health plan. Unfortunately, most people start a pattern of daily 'treats' in some form or another or skip their exercise routine because of visiting relatives. That routine then somehow continues from Christmas through to the end of the year and into the New Year. DON’T let the holiday go from a day of indulgence to a month of indulgence that leads to unwanted habits that continue beyond the holiday season. In the long run, your mind and body will thank you.