It’s party time and your waistline is under threat

There is plenty of advice on the internet and in the media on how to cut calories for Christmas. It is very clear that we have to make the right decisions at the bar, at the buffet, when we go out partying, on Christmas day and especially when we relax in front of the TV during that precious week / 10 days that we have free if there is the slightest possibility that we jump into 2011 in good shape. But, it’s not just about the fight to stop the pounds from piling on, right? It’s the holiday season and you don’t just want to look good, you want to look great (and feel great!). Here are some strategies that can have a big impact. Some you may have come across before, others are a bit more random. And by the way; Like pets, they are not just for Christmas, they are for life!

• Think of your relationship with Sugar as a toxic friendship (you know the kind of friend who happily laughs with you only to laugh at your expense when your back is turned!) Sugar is just like her/him. She’s cool while you tease him, but she’s not doing you any favors health-wise. It is addictive and if discovered today it could be registered as an illegal substance! You know the obvious culprits: cakes, pastries, candy, sodas, etc. But are you aware that many processed, refined and fast foods are loaded with sugar? Particularly those labeled ‘low fat’. Severely reducing the fat in some foods makes them quite unappealing, so extra sugar and/or salt is often added to make them more appealing. Look at the label (or question). Ingredients are listed in order of priority to most, so if you see sugar near the top, put it back on the shelf for another unsuspecting shopper. And remember, anything that ends in -ose or -ol is just sugar in disguise!
• Having a little protein with every meal and snack slows down the rate at which food is absorbed into your bloodstream, making you feel full longer and reducing how much you eat in a day. Always a big plus this time of year. Have porridge or scrambled eggs for breakfast, snack on oatmeal pancakes spread with nut butter, some crunchy raw vegetables with a pot of hummus, a chicken thigh or a live natural yogurt with berries and a drizzle of honey. Eat a soup with meat, beans, or fish for lunch (avoid creamy ones), and have grilled fish, chicken, or turkey for dinner with lots of steamed or sautéed vegetables.
• If you eat something every 3 hours you learn the secret of not being hungry. And not being hungry usually means you eat for energy, not desire. When you fuel up regularly, you speed up your metabolism and burn fat more efficiently. If losing fat instead of gaining fat is your goal this Christmas, set your mobile phone to turn off every 3 hours and eat fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. , whole grains, beans, lentils, oily fish, chicken and of course turkey (without skin).
• The mineral calcium plays an important role in the metabolism of fat for energy (both ingested and stored fat). Dairy products are generally thought to be the best source, but too much dairy in our diet can contribute to slow digestion, nasal congestion, runny nose, and worst of all, a milky butt! Some of the richest sources of calcium can be found in canned salmon and sardines, calcium-fortified soymilk and tofu, live plain yogurt, spinach, and broccoli. Try to take a couple of servings of some or all of these daily to keep the fat-burning fire going while also giving your bones, teeth and nails a good nourishment.
• If you know you’re partying and there’s a chance you’ll overindulge, don’t starve all day. His body sees this as a threat and holds on to the fat instead of burning it. Stick to the mantra of ‘eat something every 3 hours’ and eat small and light. Raw or steamed vegetables, light soups, fresh fruit, boiled egg and soldiers, charcuterie salads (3 beans, lentils, carrot, brown rice), bean toast (low sugar beans and rye toast if possible). This way you keep your blood sugar in check and avoid the “eat everything in sight” situation that creeps up on you in the first half hour and ruins all your good intentions.
• Christmas party snacks! Oh so delicious, delicious and in a second. Most have between 50 and 100 kcal each, so if you take 8 or 10 and add 4 glasses of champagne or wine, you will have accumulated between 700 and 1000 kcal and you will not even have eaten dinner. There are 2 ways to handle them. One, say “no thanks” (a bit boring) and two, eat before you leave or if you’re going straight from work, scoop up all the snacks in your bag on the way (fruit, nuts and seeds, small pieces of cheese hard, baby oatmeal pancakes and nut butter, a fruit smoothie, a cold boiled egg, a boiled chicken leg, etc.) and drink plenty of water. A tall glass for every booze usually means you have to hit the ladies room more often, but it’s worth it the next day when you find you didn’t go overboard on the calorie front and have a clear head. Sometimes it’s just polite to have a couple of snacks: avoid cakes, fries, garlic bread, chips and peanuts and any sauce with mayonnaise or sour cream and opt for lean beef , chicken, turkey, ham, smoked salmon, fresh shrimp, crudités, bread sticks, salsa, tzatziki, fresh fruit and nuts, sushi, olives, cheese cubes on sticks, etc. Or eat the topping and throw the base in the trash and save starchy carbs.
• If you have some of the right kind of fats before you eat, you can trick your system into sending a message to your brain that you’re full. While preparing dinner, have a small salad or a plate of steamed mixed vegetables dressed/drizzled with olive, flax, walnut, avocado, or pumpkin seed oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, a little flake salt, a little oil freshly ground pepper and a topping of nuts and toasted seeds. THEN WAIT 20 MINUTES BEFORE EATING (that’s about how long it takes your brain to get the “full” message). Give it a try: You’ll be amazed at how it not only takes away your appetite, but can help you steer clear of starchy foods (potatoes, white pasta and rice, bread, etc.) that you don’t really need after 6 unless you’re! You’re planning to dance all night!
• And, here are a couple of extra little tips that have little scientific research behind them, but may be worth a try when faced with the eating, drinking and partying monster that has become the norm during the festive period.
• sweet grapefruit! – some suggest that grapefruit oil gives off an aroma that affects liver enzymes and promotes weight loss. A couple of studies show that animals exposed to grapefruit aroma for 15 minutes, 3 times a day, showed a reduction in appetite and body weight; It’s worth a try. Find it at your local health store, put a few drops on a tissue and sniff it, when you don’t have an audience!
• Suck on an ice cube and numb your taste buds. Her great-grandmother used this ploy to get the children to take her medicine (if she can’t taste it, she won’t hate it). It could work as an antidote to your need for a sweet treat, a party snack, a burger and fries, etc. Who knows!
• Tie a piece of string around your waist. Some foods bloat your belly, others don’t. Some people have intolerances or sensitivities to certain foods and food groups, and the quickest and cheapest method of discovering them is to look at what happens to you half an hour after eating. Tie the rope snugly around your waist in the morning and see what happens. If you have a spare minute in your day (tough this time of year, I know), write down what foods caused that uncomfortable feeling and try eliminating those foods for a couple of days, then try them again and if you get bloated again, find alternatives ( For example, if the rope gets tighter on bread and pasta, look for alternatives to wheat products: oatmeal, rye, rice, etc.)
• Talk a lot and move! If you talk a lot, you tend to eat your food more slowly because you breathe a lot more between bites and regularly put down your knife and fork. Outcome? You don’t overload your digestion, you eat less than your quieter eaters, and if you’re a real chatterbox, you need to keep your vocal cords hydrated with plenty of water. The concern is not new. We all know someone who can’t sit still, drum their fingers, shake their legs, etc. It may be annoying, but it’s official: fidgets stay slimmer! However, I think the message lies in the role of regular exercise and activity in your day: you have to MOVE TO LOSE IT, so stay active during the holiday season by walking, dancing, fidgeting, or whatever works for you.
• Finally, sleep can be a real problem this time of year (stress, routine disruption, etc.). If you find that you regularly wake up between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. and can’t get back to sleep, your blood sugar may have plummeted. Keep your balance with a small late-night snack at least half an hour before bed. A slice of toasted rye bread topped with cottage cheese or a couple of slices of cooked turkey, a cup of warm soymilk with cinnamon, or a couple of oatmeal pancakes with peanut butter or half a well-mashed banana are rich in the amino acid tryptophan which promotes the release of the calming neurotransmitter, serotonin.

And finally. Don’t give up if you can’t resist some of the festive foodie delights that come your way from all directions. Eat them, enjoy them, forget them and move on. Tomorrow offers another opportunity to make some more precise decisions!