Christmas might be the season to overindulge for lots of people but if you’re currently trying to lose weight you may be looking for ways you can stop December from being a total write-off.
According to research by Treated.com, the average person in the UK consumes over 3,000 calories when they sit down for Christmas dinner alone, well above the recommended daily intake. In fact, the only country in the world to have a more calorific Christmas dinner is the USA.
If you want to cut your calories and get healthier this December, check out our top tips:
Start as you mean to go on – If you go for a Christmas meal out with work colleagues or friends, be careful that you don’t pick a calorific starter. Go for melon or if you fancy a prawn cocktail, request it without the sauce. On Christmas day, why not skip the starter all together?
Choose a smaller plate – It’s been proven by researchers from the University of Cambridge that the bigger your plate, the more calories you’re likely to consume. Try to combat this by opting for a smaller dinner plate when you’re eating at home. You should also watch the sizes of your wine glass as you might be consuming more alcohol than you realise.
Fill up on vegetables first – Vegetables are low in fat and calories as long as they’re not smothered in butter and the more you put on your plate, the less room you’ll have for more calorific items. When eating turkey or chicken, don’t eat the skin as just one portion contains 160 calories.
Watch the extras – It can be easy to overindulge when you’re enjoying a nice meal but two pigs in blankets and one Yorkshire pudding should be adequate. Both treats contain a considerable amount of calories so if you’re not careful, you could end up consuming hundreds of extra calories in just a few mouthfuls.
Say no to seconds – Don’t keep on piling up your plate with food. Eating for the sake of eating is never a good idea. It’s much better to sit back and wait and see if you still want more in half an hour or so. If you feel full, there’s no harm in saying no to pudding either.
Limit your treats – It can be tempting to graze all day, especially if you have lots of chocolate tins and packets of biscuits in your home. Why not ask family members and friends to not buy you any sweet treats and perhaps set yourself a daily limit of what you feel comfortable eating? For instance, you might decide that you only want to have one biscuit and three chocolates per day. Sticking to it might be tough to begin with but after a while you’ll find it easy.
Get active – It can be easy to stay inside during the cold weather but you need to get out and about. Going for a brisk walk after meals can help get your blood pumping and speed up your metabolism.
If you’re going to be responsible for cooking Christmas dinner in your home, we’ve got some ideas for how you can make it healthier.
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