How Can I Avoid Indulgent Foods this Festive Season?

As the festive season draws near, you begin to dread the prospect of having to attend Christmas office parties, family get-togethers, and a host of generally over indulgent chow-downs. But you’re still committed to your schedule of carefully measured calories, exercising, and reasonably good and healthy eating habits. Or are you?

The problem with overeating, or not, is it’s so easy to give in to temptation. Especially when the environment you’re in expects you to dance to the same familiar tune. Everyone is enjoying themselves –  ‘it’s only right that I do too’. However, if you’re serious about maintaining your figure and physical wellbeing – the result of a whole year’s consistent effort, then you need to make firm intentions before the cookouts start rolling in.

The last thing you want coming over the festive hill is to have to battle away hard to burn pounds you put on rapidly while having a good time, and the depressed mindset that comes along with this. So it’s best to avoid this from happening by curbing your appetite.

Here are some intelligent ways you can bite the bullet and refrain from overindulging:

Let your daily calorie allowance be your guide.

Since you’re probably on an intelligent eating plan, it shouldn’t be difficult to monitor if you’re consuming either too much or too little calories on any given day. To stay on song, all you have to do is find ways of sticking to your personal optimum calorie target. You can do this easily by factoring in your own tasty snacks and treats. The beauty part of making these yourself is that you will no doubt do your best to keep away from ingredients which are fattening and unhealthy.

You knew about fibre already.

Foods which have ample stores of fibre in them are excellent deterrents from overindulging. They make you feel nice and full and if chosen cleverly will also mean you won’t be consuming extra unwanted calories. Fruit and vegetables are the obvious choices, and they also boost your body with essential vitamins and minerals. When you top up on fibre your body produces more insulin, which will help meltdown fats and sugars you happen to eat on those festive occasions. So even if you happen to be a bit naughty at Christmas you’ll still manage to keep added inches off your waistline.

Snack up smart before you…

While you’ve promised yourself not to get glued to a chair and go at it with ‘all you can eat’, you might still find it hard to resist those innocent looking Christmas nibbles. If you don’t watch it these can and do start piling on the calories. But if you go into a party well prepared beforehand, you’ll find it easy to turn down those salty and sugary hors d’oevres. Make a delicious snack you know you’ll enjoy heartily, something healthy and energy boosting. Chew on almonds and drop an apple or two before hitting the party.

Just mind the calorie culprits

It’s easy to assume what kind of foods will be served at a Christmas party. One thing you can be sure of is that the place will be packed with variety. So in addition to the salty and fat-filled snacks, you will probably find foods that will not have an adverse effect on your diet. Make the wise choices, be calorie conscious, and eat the healthiest options you can find. There’s nothing wrong with seafood, lean meats, and tasty salads. And go easy on the dressings and condiments.

But it’s Christmas

There’s no need to be extremely hard on yourself and no one wants to engage the sour face of the party. Within reason go ahead and enjoy. Sometimes cutting back on heavy workouts, taking a break, and easing off from your fixed diet can do wonders for the body to rejuvenate itself. Just don’t allow the break to extend beyond a week of relaxed eating and lazing about. You’re in control and get to set your personal eating limits. If you remember this, you’ll come back primed, stronger and more dedicated than ever before.

Article by Marc Dressen