Eat Before You Greet
If you’re going to a drinks party, dinner party or even just a works lunch have a small snack before you get there and never be tempted to fast before your fiesta – you’ll only end up eating and drinking even more. Something as simple as a few mixed nuts and banana, a couple of oatcakes and hummus or a handful or dried fruit and a yogurt can make all the difference to your blood sugars helping to keep hunger levels in check and the temptation to overeat at bay.
Be savvy when you hit the buffet table to avoid diet no-nos
Become a Buffet Boffin
When you are faced with a party buffet choose your nibbles carefully. Avoid pastry items such as sausage rolls, quiche, vol-au-vents and flans and steer clear of anything that’s been deep-fried, such as spring rolls, crispy wontons or battered prawns. Garlic bread is a buffet favourite that’s best avoided as are crisps, cheeses, peanuts and anything loaded with mayo or soured cream such as coleslaw, potato salad and creamy dips. Instead, opt for lean beef, chicken, turkey, ham, smoked salmon, prawns, sushi, salads without mayo, crudités, breadsticks, salsa, grapes, celery and cherry tomatoes or pineapple on sticks.
Dine Before Wine
Never drink on an empty stomach. If you are dining out always have a starter before your first glass of wine and if you’re going out for a few drinks always eat a good meal beforehand. Alcohol automatically lowers blood sugars so if they were already low through lack of eating you’ll not only feel drunk after your first tipple, you’ll have the self-control of a child in a sweet shop when it comes to ordering off that menu.
Think before You Drink
Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water to keep calories in check . Ask for diet mixers where possible as they can save almost 100 calories per drink. Make wine into a spritzer - a longer drink means you will drink less and substitute your "alcopop" for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer.
If beer is your thing try alternating with a shandy made with diet lemonade. Doing so will save almost 100 calories per pint and a short instead of a pint will save almost 200 calories – just be careful not to have too many!
Opt for spirits and low calorie mixers to avoid putting on alcohol weight
Become a Expert Refuser
Don’t want second helpings but afraid you’ll offend? Just say ‘that was delicious but no thanks’ and don’t be tempted to explain you’re watching your weight or you’ll soon get pressured into more.
Keep Your Eye on The Bigger Picture
Just because you ate a Quality Street (or five) too many today doesn’t mean you might as well give up on tomorrow. The weight piles on when you routinely eat more than you need so the odd over indulgence here and there won’t hurt as long as you learn to balance it at other times of the day by eating a little less an exercising a little more.
Think ‘Mood’ not Food
Christmas can be a particularly stressful time of the year and it’s at times like these when it’s all too easy to comfort eat. Make a conscious effort to ask yourself whether you really are hungry or just trying to make yourself feel better. If it’s the latter put other strategies in place. Call a friend for a chat, go for a walk, run a hot bath or take five minutes out to relax with your favourite magazine.
Go for the healthy winter veg rather than loading up on fatty extras
Veg Out
Adding extra vegetables to your meals can be a great way of cutting calories whilst upping your nutrients and fibre so fill at least half of your plate with all that seasonal cabbage, sprouts, parsnips, swede and carrots and go easy on the mash and roast potatoes.
Ask Santa for a Pedometer
These little devices that clip to your belt and measure the amount of steps you take in a day can be a real eye opener and most cost less than a fiver. The average person can burn 400 calories a day by walking 10,000 steps (that’s equal to almost 3 stones of body fat a year!) and yet most of us barely manage to do 3,000.
If you’re going to a drinks party, dinner party or even just a works lunch have a small snack before you get there and never be tempted to fast before your fiesta – you’ll only end up eating and drinking even more. Something as simple as a few mixed nuts and banana, a couple of oatcakes and hummus or a handful or dried fruit and a yogurt can make all the difference to your blood sugars helping to keep hunger levels in check and the temptation to overeat at bay.
Be savvy when you hit the buffet table to avoid diet no-nosBecome a Buffet Boffin
When you are faced with a party buffet choose your nibbles carefully. Avoid pastry items such as sausage rolls, quiche, vol-au-vents and flans and steer clear of anything that’s been deep-fried, such as spring rolls, crispy wontons or battered prawns. Garlic bread is a buffet favourite that’s best avoided as are crisps, cheeses, peanuts and anything loaded with mayo or soured cream such as coleslaw, potato salad and creamy dips. Instead, opt for lean beef, chicken, turkey, ham, smoked salmon, prawns, sushi, salads without mayo, crudités, breadsticks, salsa, grapes, celery and cherry tomatoes or pineapple on sticks.
Dine Before Wine
Never drink on an empty stomach. If you are dining out always have a starter before your first glass of wine and if you’re going out for a few drinks always eat a good meal beforehand. Alcohol automatically lowers blood sugars so if they were already low through lack of eating you’ll not only feel drunk after your first tipple, you’ll have the self-control of a child in a sweet shop when it comes to ordering off that menu.
Think before You Drink
Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water to keep calories in check . Ask for diet mixers where possible as they can save almost 100 calories per drink. Make wine into a spritzer - a longer drink means you will drink less and substitute your "alcopop" for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer.
If beer is your thing try alternating with a shandy made with diet lemonade. Doing so will save almost 100 calories per pint and a short instead of a pint will save almost 200 calories – just be careful not to have too many!
Opt for spirits and low calorie mixers to avoid putting on alcohol weightBecome a Expert Refuser
Don’t want second helpings but afraid you’ll offend? Just say ‘that was delicious but no thanks’ and don’t be tempted to explain you’re watching your weight or you’ll soon get pressured into more.
Keep Your Eye on The Bigger Picture
Just because you ate a Quality Street (or five) too many today doesn’t mean you might as well give up on tomorrow. The weight piles on when you routinely eat more than you need so the odd over indulgence here and there won’t hurt as long as you learn to balance it at other times of the day by eating a little less an exercising a little more.
Think ‘Mood’ not Food
Christmas can be a particularly stressful time of the year and it’s at times like these when it’s all too easy to comfort eat. Make a conscious effort to ask yourself whether you really are hungry or just trying to make yourself feel better. If it’s the latter put other strategies in place. Call a friend for a chat, go for a walk, run a hot bath or take five minutes out to relax with your favourite magazine.
Go for the healthy winter veg rather than loading up on fatty extrasVeg Out
Adding extra vegetables to your meals can be a great way of cutting calories whilst upping your nutrients and fibre so fill at least half of your plate with all that seasonal cabbage, sprouts, parsnips, swede and carrots and go easy on the mash and roast potatoes.
Ask Santa for a Pedometer
These little devices that clip to your belt and measure the amount of steps you take in a day can be a real eye opener and most cost less than a fiver. The average person can burn 400 calories a day by walking 10,000 steps (that’s equal to almost 3 stones of body fat a year!) and yet most of us barely manage to do 3,000.
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