‘Tis The Season To Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

NC – If egg nog, chocolates, and hors d’oeuvres threaten to spoil your diet plans, registered dietitian and nutrition expert, Tristaca Curley of Fuelingwithfood.com, has an easy plan for keeping calories in check.

She offers these three guidelines for your next soiree:

1. Carry a hand bag: It all starts before you leave the house. Plan to carry a clutch in one hand and a bottle of water in the other so it’s difficult to grab too many calorie-laden hors d’oeuvres. Finger foods are often the highest in calories, so also try mingling in an area away from the table to make it harder to nibble.

2. Pace yourself: Cocktails are part of most seasonal festivities. Curley suggests avoiding calories by alternating alcoholic beverages with water or diet soft drinks, like Diet Coke, both of which have 0 calories per serving. Alcohol reduces inhibitions and might lead some of us to overeat or choose foods that we wouldn’t normally have.

3. Eat what you love – in moderation: There’s no reason to give up your favourite flavours this season. After scanning the buffet, give yourself permission to eat only the foods that you really love and use a small plate to keep portions under control. It will give you the illusion of more food than if you use a big plate and it will help you eat more slowly.