by Anastasia Fermin, Sunshima blog writer
The Christmas holidays mean that lots of delicious traditional seasonal fare pops back into your life. Foods that make it a little difficult to maintain a balanced diet during the Christmas season. Christmas mince pies, gingerbread treats, candy canes, chocolates, cakes, decadent sauces and carb loaded baked goods to be exact. These are but a few of the temptations that emerge around the holiday period and many of us tend to over-indulge during this time of year.
This year festivities and parties may be cancelled due to Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions. This means that people will try to recreate these experiences at home and try their hand at traditional Christmas cooking. While this is a wonderful experience, it’s also important to pay attention to what you eat and drink in order to stay healthy. Here are a few quick tips on how you can curb the Christmas food cravings and stay on track.
- Practice moderation – You can still enjoy the festive foods but practice portion control. Instead of piling your plate high with everything on the table, take small portions of the foods you enjoy the most instead.
- Stay Active – Avoid lounging around your house all day. Get up and move so that you aren’t completely sedentary. Walk outdoors, do home workouts and chores that can keep you occupied and moving.
- Limit Alcohol – Alcohol consumption during the holidays tend to be a bit high. This means that you can rack up a lot of extra calories that you really don’t need. To combat this, keep track of your drinking and set a healthy limit for yourself.
- Eat before you go out – If you need to go shopping, eat something healthy and filling before your trip. This can prevent you from splurging on fast foods in the food court or buying junk foods at the supermarket.
- Eat more fruits – To keep sugar cravings at bay, eat fruits instead of sweets and biscuits. Fruits can give you the satisfaction of a sugar crave while providing you with essential vitamins and nutrients instead of empty calories and processed sugars
- Think before you take seconds – At the Christmas dinner table things can go overboard. Don’t take seconds if you are already feeling full. This will not only help you avoid indigestion and bloating but it will also help you to pay more attention to your body’s cues to let you know you’ve had quite enough.
- Be a mindful chef – opt for healthier cooking oils, choose better ingredients and be aware of what you put into your food. There are many healthy alternatives that will recreate the same effect of traditional ingredients that tend to be heavy on the calories. Learn more about healthy food substitutes to help you be a more mindful chef.
At the end of the day, the holidays are for enjoyment, love and positive vibes. Things may not be as grand as usual due to the pandemic but it’s important to keep your spirits high, be safe and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Have a Merry Christmas!