How can people maintain their good eating habits during this time of year? Following are three tips to enjoy the holiday season without regrets.
Ready for the holiday season? Most people look forward for the holiday season. This is the time to be with family and friends and share beautiful things. For the following two months food, wine and desserts will be part of everyone’s menu.
Some people lose control of their food intake and gain a few or more pounds during this season, but festivities shouldn’t be part of the reason why people throw their healthy habits out the window.
Make Fun the Main Dish
Yes, food is one part of every holiday reunion people have, but this doesn’t mean it is the only one. Take the time to talk with friends and family members instead of only eating.
Never eat while having a conversation, because people don’t pay attention to how much food they are eating. Another idea is to bring or ask the hostess to have a fun game during the celebration. Remember the main point here is to involve all people and enjoy their good company. This can even became part of a new tradition.
Control Portions
Another great way to control your calories intake during holiday season is by controlling every portion of food. This might seem difficult at first, but once you have a vision of what each portion looks like it becomes a great healthy habit.
Some people like to use hands to get an idea of portions size, but the easiest way is to divide the dinner plate into three portions. Every meal needs to have a combination of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, and fats.
The plate will be divided into three main sections. Half of the plate will be for vegetables or salad. One-fourth will be for protein and three-fourths for carbohydrates. The tiny space left can be used for dressings, butter or other sauces.
Healthy Side Dishes
Turkey meat is a healthy protein most people eat during the holiday season, but what happens with the side dishes is different. Many side dishes make carbohydrates and vegetables very tasty with all the oil, butter and cream used in the preparation. For this holidays pick a favorite side dish and make it healthy.
Modify the recipe with the use of low-fat dressings, healthy oils such as olive oil, and use spices to bring a strong flavor into any dish. Chicken broth works great when preparing vegetable dishes, because it gives an extra flavor to the vegetables without the use of extra oil or butter.
Don’t let the holiday festivities add another item to your New Year’s resolution list: lose weight. Make it a healthy habit for the whole family to enjoy the holidays with fun ideas and enjoy food with moderation. Surprise family members and friends with a new version of their favorite holiday dish and inspire yourself to keep healthy all year round.
