Christmas parties needn’t ruin health regimes according to a professional nutritionist and fitness expert who’s compiled a short guide for enjoying the annual do in the healthiest way possible.
Christmas party season is in full swing, but for those worrying that the annual do will only throw them off track and wreck their diet and fitness regime, MuscleFood.com fitness guru Dan Rayner has revealed his top tips for enjoying festive parties the healthy way.
Dan reveals what people can be doing before, during, and after any Christmas events in order to stay focussed and keep on track with any diet or fitness regimes.
From opting to be designated driver, to choosing your snacks more carefully, carrying out these simple changes will help you to curb cravings and stay focussed on fitness goals, whilst still enjoying a night of festivities with friends, family or colleagues.
Dan Rayner commented:
“Whether you love spending extra time with your work colleagues or not, there’s always a Christmas party at the end of the year, or you might just have a few social events planned with family and friends around the festive period.
“Health and fitness fanatics might be wondering how they can possibly enjoy these events without it being detrimental to any long-term health goals, but in reality, all you have to do is make a few mindful decisions and tweaks along the way!
“Of course, this isn’t for everyone. A lot of people want to just chill out during the festive season, which is fine! But if you’re really hoping to stay on track, following my tips will help you along the way.”
Eat Beforehand
Unfortunately, at times you might not even have this option, because if your party involves having a meal and you’d rather not hear the words ‘bah humbug’ in your ear, then you’ll just have to be smarter with your meal options.
Soup is usually a solid starter choice and typically lower in calories than most other options, just avoid the bread on the side.
For your main course, fill up on your meats and veggies using as little gravy as possible. Ask for extra vegetables and ask to pour the gravy yourself!
Lastly, tackling the pudding situation is simple – just say no thank you, I’m too full!
On the other hand, if your Christmas do is more of a dance party occasion and the food that’s being provided is party food, just eat beforehand. By doing this you won’t feel absolutely starving when you arrive and so you limit the chance of yourself actually giving into the buffet being provided.
Go Easy on the Drinks
If you’ve already decided that you are in fact going to have a cheeky tipple, then that’s fine. Just ensure you pick smarter alcohol choices so that you limit the amount of sugar and calories you are taking on board.
Choose a vodka and diet mixer over a pint of lager, a gin and tonic over a glass of red, or even a glass of Prosecco (averages 80 calories) over that large glass of white wine (averages 200+ calories).
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