christmas party survival

Mere survival during the holiday season or any other celebratory time of the year is definitely not a concern. There is always more than enough food to feed the crowd. Nutritional survival, on the other hand, can be a bit more of a challenge because of the tempting variety of high fat and high-sugar goodies that are served. So, here are a few strategies to help you get through even the most extravagant affairs.

Starving Yourself Before Parties is Not a Good Idea
Avoid the idea of saving up for the party by eating very little all day or all week. This is a big mistake because it can leave the body feeling starved. When you do finally eat, the food can easily be stored as fat. Always go to parties well fuelled. Of course, you're not going to arrive full and miss all the goodies, but do plan to arrive in a reasonably stable, energetic, and hydrated state. Low blood sugar or dehydration perpetuates the urge to overindulge. Arrive at the party with your health goals in the forefront of your mind. Remember, you're the boss of your body.

Just Say No to Food
If you are concerned about being offered too much food, before you go, mentally practice strategies to decline food offers. For example, "It looks amazing but I'm full", "I tried it and it was great" or "I'm allergic to nuts." Avoid standing right beside the food table or bar while you're talking. Easy access to food or beverages will be more of a temptation during any lulls in the conversation.

Making a Healthier Choice
Choose to eat the healthier food available. Fruits, vegetables, turkey, fish, pretzels, popcorn, tortilla chips, salsa, yogurt-based dips, hummus and pita bread or Christmas oranges are all reasonable choices. You don't have to avoid the higher fat treats, but keep portion control in mind. The average serving of cocktail meatballs supplies about 160 calories, crunchy party-mix about 202 calories, nachos 308 calories and nut mix about 220 calories.

Quit While Your Ahead ?
Plan to eat two or three moderate-sized snacks rather than ten or twelve. Avoid the mentality of "I've already blown it so what difference does it make now." When you're full, get rid of your plate and napkin and grab a glass of water. Most goodies are full of sugar and salt and you'll want to stay well hydrated.

Above all, if you keep up your exercise routine, you should be able to get through seasons of extra indulgence without much agony to your health.