The weather's warm and the nights are long. Christmas is just around the corner and your social calendar is probably overflowing. Cocktail parties, office Christmas lunches, the kid's school concerts, dinners with friends and family get-togethers are all a reason to enjoy a few drinks, some great food and even better company.
And while it's great to let loose and celebrate, throwing caution to the wind when it comes to what you eat and drink, and how much, isn’t such a great idea. Too many of us have emerged at the other end of the holiday season feeling, and looking, a little worse for wear thanks to a little too much celebrating.
But don’t despair – you don’t have to live on water and fat-free crackers this festive season. Here are a few ideas that will both keep you in shape and in the party mood.
- Don’t overdo it. If you've got a few social events on within the space of a few days, try not to overeat or drink excessively at any of them. Pace yourself at each event and aim to leave with a clear head and a comfortably full, but not to bursting, stomach!
- Drink smart. At each event, decide on a limit of how much you're going to drink (eg. 3 glasses of white wine) and stick to only one type of alcohol - mixing drinks can be a recipe for a huge hangover the next day.
- Drink even smarter. Alternate drinks – for example, one sparkling mineral water, one champagne. As well as limiting your alcohol and calorie consumption, it helps keep you hydrated when the weather's warm.
- Nibble wisely. When the canapés or nibbles are being handed around, choose carefully. If you are trying to watch your weight, avoid anything that looks as though it may have a high fat content and only have a couple of them – they are, after all, supposed to be a precursor to the main meal, not a meal in themselves.
- Skip a course. If you're at a lunch or dinner, avoid that 'I've eaten too much' feeling by skipping the entrée or dessert, or choosing to have a light salad for your main. Loading your plate many times over will not only give you a stomach ache, it will pack on the calories as well.
- Think of others. If you're doing the catering, make sure there are low-fat options, non-alcoholic drinks and light salads on offer. Not everyone will want to leave feeling like the Christmas turkey!
- Remember your own health plan. If you have a medical condition such as diabetes or coeliac disease, don’t decide to give yourself a Christmas present of eating anything you want: you know you'll pay for it later! Allow yourself a few special treats but do place a limit on them. Take the time to find festive dishes and drinks you can enjoy too, so you don’t feel like you're missing out.
- Maintain your normal exercise regime. If you exercise a few times a week (and we all should), keep it up – even if your packed social calendar means fitting in a quick lunchtime walk instead of your normal gym routine. If you have been planning on starting up an exercise program, it's an excellent time to start so you can counter balance some of the extra calories you'll be consuming!
The main message is this: Don’t cancel your party plans – plan to have a great time but to also finish the holiday season in good shape. It's not that hard to do if you think ahead and approach the Christmas–New Year period with a sensible attitude, instead of complete gastronomic abandon!