Beating the Festive Bulge

Appetising Appetisers  
This time of year generally sees a glut of cheap party food. Christmas time can be stressful and often it feels there aren’t enough hours in the day to fit in work, family life, shopping for gifts, stocking up on groceries and the obligatory Christmas parties. As a result, it’s no wonder we often rely on pre-made savoury tray-bakes when having friends over. The oily residue on your fingers or napkin, having scoffed down a few straight out of the oven, generally gives the game away – these tiny tasty little numbers are often packed with saturated and trans fats and salt, and can wreak havoc with the best of intentions, in addition to irritating any already irritable bowels!

Forewarned is forearmed!
The first rule of thumb is to never arrive at a party on an empty stomach. If you are stuck for time after work, a yoghurt and banana, bowl of cereal or a sandwich will be better than nothing as it takes the edge off your appetite, leaving you more in control of what you put in your mouth! If you are hosting any gatherings, consider offering some healthy finger food alternatives. What about vegetable crudités (made from batons of celery sticks, carrot, raw courgette, sugar snap peas, broccoli and peppers) and toasted pita bread fingers, served with a hummus dip. Smoked salmon is a Christmas staple, and also happens to be rich in omega 3 oils for healthy heart and brain (both of which can be under pressure during this period!). Serve on small cuts of brown soda bread, a squeeze of fresh lemon and freshly ground black pepper. Fruit also has a place in the finger food arena – try fruit kebabs using strawberries, seedless grapes and pineapple cubes (use approx. 10cm long kebab sticks). Alternatively, make mini fruit and low fat cheddar cheese kebabs using cocktail sticks (e.g. seedless grapes/pineapple chunks with small cubes of Edam, brie or feta cheese). Homemade chilli popcorn is delicious: - mix together 1 teaspoon of chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon of ground cumin and a dash of garlic powder. Sprinkle over just popped homemade popcorn - no need to add salt.  

Be aware of another fatty festive pitfall (in every office around the country from the 1st of December!) – the tin of chocolates. Just a handful of sweets is about 200 calories and 11g of fat. Dried fruit and unsalted nuts (almonds, brazils, walnuts) are a much healthier alternative.

Alcohol
Alcohol will play havoc with any healthy intentions. A pint contains approximately 200 calories, or the equivalent of eating 5 chicken nuggets, while a bottle of wine is the equivalent of eating a hamburger and fries! Alcohol will also stimulate the appetite. And the next day ‘hangover’ generally weakens the strongest resolve. Remember the Department of Health and Children recommended weekly limits of up to 21 standard drinks for men and 14 standard drinks for women (spread out over the week). One standard drink is a ½ pint of beer, 100ml glass of wine or 1 pub measure (35.5ml) of spirits. How many people out there can honestly say they pour themselves 100mls of wine in a glass! Its more likely that people drink 200-250mls in one wine glass which is 2-2.5 standard drinks and a bottle of wine is 8 standard drinks! We tend to drink a lot over this season, both in terms of frequency and amount and this year will see more homes drinking than ever before. Be wary of home poured shorts (which are often double or treble a pub measure) and consider sticking to pre-measured drinks such as a can of beer instead. Limit the damage by alternating each alcoholic drink with a mineral/water and don’t drink every night, have a few rest days and try to avoid binge drinking over the festive season. The World Health Organisation defines binge drinking as 6 standard drinks during one drinking occasion which is 3 pints of beer or 3 x 200mls glasses of wine.  

Christmas Day
For many of us, Christmas dinner, dessert and wine can add up to 2,000 calories (a normal day’s intake). If you’re watching your weight, consider having a lower calorie starter such as melon and Parma ham. Turkey meat (minus the skin) is a good low fat source of protein and B vitamins. Dish out plenty of steamed or roasted vegetables (rich in anti-oxidants). Allow the turkey juices to settle and skim off fat before making gravy. To make healthier roast potatoes, parboil them, then drain and shake about in the pot to fluff up the edges. Keep them whole rather than cutting up (smaller potatoes absorb more fat). Coat with a small amount of olive oil using a pastry brush rather than sitting them in fat and cook separately to the turkey so that they don’t soak up the fat from the turkey.

Puddings are a must on Christmas day. Those watching their waistlines can limit the damage by serving Christmas pudding with low fat custard, crème fraiche or natural yoghurt rather than brandy butter/cream. Make trifle with low fat custard and add plenty of fruit before it sets. 

The last word
Christmas can be a challenge in many ways and never more so if you are watching your waistline. Socialising with friends is hugely important and it would be a shame to overshadow this special time with anxieties about food. So remember, balance is all important. Have a little of most things, keeping anything fatty/greasy to the bottom of the list and watching your overall portions will stand you in good stead. If you feel you have overdone it at the crisp bowl, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water, and don’t skip meals to compensate (always a false economy). Think of this period as ‘damage limitation’ and be happy to keep your weight stable over the 4 week ‘silly season’. Remember, being active is especially important at this time in order to help maintain your weight and keep the heart healthy from any excess fats eaten over the festive period: aim for a 30 minute brisk walk most evenings. In addition to helping limit waistline expansion, it’s a great stress buster during an often-stressful period!

© NutritionWise The Nutrition Consultancy