A healthy diet and lifestyle can really take a hammering over Christmas. The extra nights out mean there are more opportunities for temptation, and less inclination to be active the next day. No one wants to spoil the fun, but it’s worth arming yourself with a few facts on how beat the bulge. Experts estimate that most people gain one pound (0.5 kg) over the Christmas period. That’s around 3,500 extra calories in a couple of weeks! The trick to preventing this is by trying to make small changes to reduce what you normally eat over Christmas, or by taking the opportunity to be more active during your free time. Reducing your portion sizes is probably the best way to keep your diet under control at Christmas. That way, you can eat a little bit of all your favourites, rather than cutting out seasonal treats completely. Here are a few switches to you help avoid that extra pound.
The savings
- Eat one mince pie instead of two – save 185 calories
- Skip the Christmas pudding and cream after dinner (you can have it for tea later on instead of something else!) – save 329 calories
- Always have a glass of water when you are drinking alcohol – cutting down by one glass of wine (125 ml) will save you around 100 calories.
- Have mashed potato and skip the roasties – save 379 for three medium roast potatoes
- Have a small portion of turkey instead of a large one – save 120 calories
- Have a small portion of ham instead of a large one – save 170 calories
- Eat two chocolates instead of four – save around 90 calories
- Don’t munch on bowls of crisps and nuts at parties, just take a few and then move away. 30 grams of crisps contains around 150 calories and a handful of nuts gives you 256 calories.
- Staying active over Christmas also has huge benefits for your body and mind. Get outside, clear your head and walk your way to a healthier Christmas.
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This article was provided by Safefood – www.safefood.eu
