The silly season has arrived! For many of us the social calendar will be filling up with all sorts of occasions and events. Lots of events can pile up those sneaky calories, making it hard to manage our weight through the Christmas period and into the new year. It is important to enjoy the festive season, but there is no need to go overboard.
Christmas Day it is just one day. If you start stocking up on Christmas goodies the moment they arrive in the stores, or when the parties start in late November, you are setting yourself up a month (or two) of indulging. If you find it hard to resist your favourite Christmas foods, keep them out of the house until Christmas day.
On Christmas day or at special functions, don’t deprive yourself of your favourite foods. Research tells us that the more you deprive yourself of a food, the more you are likely to crave it, and often, overeat it. Allow yourself the foods you enjoy. Choose small portions and eat mindfully. Save your indulgences for the foods or drinks you really enjoy. If fruit mince pies take your fancy, then make sure you enjoy them. For me, I'd rather skip the pies for the glass of bubbly!
Many Christmas indulgences are however foods that can be eaten regularly in a healthy diet. Succulent leg ham, fresh seafood and seasonal fruit such as mangoes and cherries can all be enjoyed regularly without the calories of highly processed snack foods.
Come the new year, many of us end up with a pantry full of gifts from well meaning family and friends: shortbread, chocolate coated nuts and boxes of chocolates. Some people then feel the need to eat them until they are gone. Pace yourself and spread them out, savouring small amounts. If you eat small amounts over a longer period of time it extends the pleasure.
Look for opportunities over the festive season to share gifts of food and drink with others. Whenever you go a social event, take gifts you are given to share to avoid them stockpiling. Avoid the temptation to have to eat them all at once to get rid of them and spread out over time. Start a new tradition of giving by reading the inspiration for this months feature recipes.
For many, Christmas is one time of the year to take some well earned time off work and spend with family and friends. Too often relaxing can mean sitting, eating and drinking. Look for opportunities over your Christmas break to be active. Start a family game of backyard cricket on Christmas day. Make sure the children are given some active gifts in their stocking such as balls, flippers or a kite.
