The holiday season rhymes with too much food and drink while we relax and have a good time at family get-togethers. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you survive the festive season without extra pounds and hangovers.
SIX IDEAS FOR AVOIDING EXCESS CALORIES
- Prepare healthy appetizers: Make lots of healthy holiday bitesize appetizers. Try Sesame Tuna Takati and Cucumber and Feta Bites or Mini Chicken Skewers with Pesto, Cranberries and Pistachios and Ravioli, Cherry Tomato, and Parmesan Skewers from Ricardo.
- Savour slowly: Eat fast and you’ll overeat. Savour and chew each morsel for a long time and you’ll feel satisfied much sooner.
- Avoid non-stop munching: Eat only once (and for all). If you munch throughout the entire evening, the calories will pile up without your ever feeling satisfied. Once you’ve finished your plate, leave the table to avoid non-stop nibbling.
- Drink to your health: Enjoy one or two glasses of wine or champagne, but make sure you are well hydrated by drinking a large glass of water between each alcoholic beverage. This will also help reduce your appetite and alcohol consumption. Avoid opening the bottles of wine too long before the meal starts.
- Be active during the Holidays: Stand up to chat, dance, and take short walks during the festivities. Try not to skip your training sessions.
- Don’t keep the leftovers: If you are hosting, invite your guests to take the leftovers home. Or if you are the guest, decline to take home leftovers of rich foods. Partaking in a feast is fine, but two feasts is one too many!
FOUR TIPS FOR HANGOVER RELIEF
- Eat light: Avoid fatty foods; they aren’t good for your liver. Go for good old chicken noodle soup―and veggies. Chicken noodle soup contains a lot of salt and will provide the sodium required for rehydration after alcohol-induced dehydration.
- Have honey toast and banana for breakfast: Research shows that honey accelerates alcohol elimination and reduces hangover symptoms. As for banana, as it’s rich in potassium, it assists in electrolyte replenishment.
- Have a sport drink: Sports drinks too, like Gatorade, help replenish fluids and electrolytes.
- Drink a peppermint or ginger herbal tea: Peppermint has digestive properties and ginger reduces nausea.
So what are your tips for curbing calories and relieving hangovers?
By Karine Séguin, nutritionist
Reference: Passeport santé. (2008). Gueule de bois. On line. <http://www.passeportsante.net/fr/Actualites/Dossiers/Fiche.aspx?doc=gueule_bois_do>. Page consulted on November 15, 204
