If you think about it, the sorts of food we eat at Christmas aren’t really that bad. A full roast has plenty of protein from the ham/turkey, and the rest of the plate is usually full of low GI carbohydrate veggies. Fats are covered due to the fat content of most meats. If seafood’s on the menu – the breakdown’s even better. The key really is just keeping it simple. The more complex you get, and the more you deviate from the basics, the more chance there is that you’re starting to introduce less than favourable foods.
If you had to apply a basic template to your Christmas feasting it would be to ensure that each meal contains a mix of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Protein should be from lean animal sources (ham, turkey, seafood), carbohydrates should be unprocessed (veggies and fruit) and fats should be unsaturated (nuts, seeds, avocado etc).
The unprocessed carbohydrates is the big one, and possibly the one that Christmas eating is most unfriendly towards. Desserts, cakes, biscuits etc are the biggest deviation from healthy eating.
Over the past weeks I’ve covered a number of strategies to control portion sizes. It’s accepted that the foods you’re eating wont be the best quality – so take a look at some of the strategies to manage volume in my recent nutrition posts.
For alcohol, have a read of the research surrounding ways to minimise intake without feeling like you’re any less ‘merry’.
Some tips:
- Have loads of fresh fruit lying around. Summer’s great for fruit – grapes, berries and stone fruit are at their peak. Cherries are festive – and a great treat.
- Nuts are another good idea that can be a treat without being overly unhealthy (again – think volume).
- Go crazy with the veggies. Not only are they super good for you, but if you’re eating them it means you’re not eating something that’s not.
- Keep your bingeing to a few days. Don’t let it turn into a month-long gravy fest.
Whatever you do, don’t sacrifice enjoyment for health! Not at Christmas!
