Holiday Nutrition

• Bring your dish to the party to share with people. You will still be able to participate in the party. 
• Look at all the foods on the buffet or the table before putting anything on your plate. Then, add those foods once you decide what you want to eat.
• If there is a buffet, be the last person in line. Give priority to hungry party guests. Food will look much less appealing to you and deter people from looking at your plate.
• Do not stand next to the food table or buffet. 
• Keep your plate and glass of water near to avoid socializing empty-handed because when you have food and drink, you will be less likely to be offered something.
• Do not go shopping while you are hungry or fasting. Take one bite of your food before you go shopping.
• Stay active, don’t let your exercise routine fall. Of course, we all know you may not go to the gym on a holiday. However, walking after a meal is an excellent way to activate your metabolism, facilitate digestion and speed up your bowel movements. This way, you will not throw yourself into bed immediately after dinner and will be more fit. Moreover, if you invite your family or other loved ones, they can accompany you and you can all get away from the place where the meals are held 🙂
• Skip the gravies and sauces which are too high in sugar and oil. This will help you to have more calorie chances for enjoying healthy foods.
• Pack your snacks and treats with you cause temptations will be endless on holiday.
• Continue to follow the basic meal rules, control your portions .
• How should your plate needs to look like?

‘Keep in mind that it always starts with PROTEIN as the first meal, VEGETABLES or FRUITS as the second, and STARCH or SIMPLE CARBS as the last.’

• Do not skip breakfast, and do not starve yourself before dinner. If you don’t eat the whole day and starve yourself, this will lead to excess eating or making bad choices at dinner.
• Stay hydrated because foods on holidays generally contain a lot of salt (sodium). High sodium intake may result in edema at the end of the day. 
• Follow the three-bites rule to savour the flavour, and say bye to the food after three-bites. 
• Follow the three-minute rule: wait three minutes between each bite and chew well.
• Avoid liquid calories such as eggnog, cocktails, or champagne because liquid calories easily flow in your gut and will not make you feel full. Control is on your hands!
• Resist and stay away from the food pushers; white lies are no problem on holidays. Tell them that you have already tried it and it was delicious, and try to change the topic of the conversation suddenly. 
• Focus on socializing and save eating for the time to eat. Holiday dinner does not mean that it is time for restrictions; it can be a time to experience good health and spend time with the people you love.
• Please don’t weigh yourself during this holiday period. Since checking yourself frequently and thinking about how to get through this process will stress you out, this can increase your cortisol levels and cause oedema.
• Do not bring leftovers to home !!!!

If you want to eat something you wouldn’t normally eat or shouldn’t eat:

• Save the one you like best, or see the best for last. You may feel full before eating the rest because you put protein and vegetables on your plate first.
• Choose a dessert or meal you don’t encounter often and let it be the “extra” food you eat.
• Make sure you take a very small portion and remember the three-bit rule. Remember, the first bite tastes the same as the last. The maximum you need to be satisfied is 3 bites.

‘If things don’t go as planned at your holiday meal, don’t stress. Remember, tomorrow is a new day and you can start by making healthier choices.’