Healthy eating tips for the festive season
Managing the excess of the party period
End-of-year holidays are occasions for feasts and celebrations, from family occasions to office parties, with temptations ranging from titbits to alcohol. You've probably found that you tend to gain a pound or two over the holidays. This doesn't mean you've lost the fight for good health and a balanced weight! 
Here are some tips to help you manage the excess of the party season, and enjoy yourself without the guilt.
You are what you eat
- Try and eat regular meals, including the recommended five daily servings of fruit and vegetables. Don't skip a meal!
- Make sure you get enough rest. Exhaustion makes you overeat to restore energy.
- Pre-empt party indulgence by snacking before you go - preferably on protein and fibre... You can't go wrong with fruit!
- Pace yourself carefully. If you're doing any party-hopping or same-day holiday visiting, eat one meal in stages. Limit yourself to the main course at one gathering, dessert-only at your next stop.
- Indulge in the treats you love, and spoil yourself a little, taking time to savour the food you like, so you're satisfied with a smaller quantity.
- And our final food tip... Skip the finger foods - generally these are the fattiest and least healthy. So no mini-pizza, pig-in-a-blanket or quiche...
Bottoms up, without bottoming out
So much for the food... But what about alcohol? With all the festivity over the christmas season, both at work and at home, it's not difficult to over-indulge in alcohol... Did you know that increased alcohol consumption can limit your ability to cope with stress? Here are a few hints to keep your alcohol intake down this holiday season:
- Make your first drink non-alcoholic
- Follow any alcoholic drink with
one that's non-alcoholic, such as water or orange juice - Did you know alcohol stimulates the appetite? It also interferes with your body's ability to burn fat.
- Watch out for those alcoholic calories! One pint of beer is the calorie equivalent of a large meal. Avoid high-calorie drinks like eggnog, punch, beer, and soda. Stick to sparkling water, spritzer, and light beer.
- Keep a drinks diary to keep track of how many alcohol calories you consume in a week. Remember: the recommended maximum alcohol intake for women is 14 units per week, with a 21 units a week for men.
For more of these and other great tips for surviving this festive season, get LifeWorks - with free online advice and trained counsellors to help you through any work-life emergency. Find out more here.
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