- Sharing is Caring!
It’s the festive season, no one is expecting you to be a complete saint and forgo calorie-laden foods and drinks, but you can still choose healthier options.
If you are a eating out or have a choice at a function steer towards a fruit-based dessert. So for example, choose an apple crumble with ice cream or a pavlova with fresh fruit and natural yoghurt, over a mud chocolate cake with a side of cream. Since it is the season for giving, rather than having a dessert by yourself, share it with a friend or loved one!
- Summer’s Bounty
Summer is prime time for gorgeous fruit, with mangos, peaches, nectarines, grapes, cherries, berries, figs, melons – the list goes on! – all in season. Whether you have them as a snack or within a salad or dessert, all these fruits are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and are lower in calories per serve than processed foods such as chips or biscuits.
- Boredom VS Hunger
Only eat when you are hungry. You may be on holidays and vegging out at home, but don’t turn that into an excuse for constant snack attacks or grazing of leftovers. When you go to find something to eat, ask yourself – are you actually hungry or just bored? If it’s boredom, go for a walk or play with the kids, anything other than eat for the sake of it.
- Put on the Brakes!
At this time of the year it is very easy to eat too much. If you are like a vacuum cleaner generally and tend to suck up your food, then SLOW DOWN! It takes around 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that you have had enough. Take the time to appreciate, the taste, smell, texture. The more slowly you eat and the more you enjoy your food, the less you will need to eat before you feel satisfied.
- Finding a Balance
While you may be tempted to just eat fruit cake, prawns and Christmas ham, it’s more important than ever to eat meals that fulfill all your nutritional needs so you don’t end up run down and feeling heavier than you want to be! The 12WBT Nutrition Plans are based on guidelines within the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. If you want to find out more on what types of food need to be eaten each day to get enough of the nutrients essential for good health and well-being. I recommend reading the Guide.
This season is meant to be enjoyed but it doesn’t have to be at the expense of good health. Take back some control of your food and don’t let festive merriment control you!
During the holiday season it’s so easy to forget about our healthy eating habits. But this should not be the case, we should do our best to stick to healthy eating.