Eating smart during the holidays
FEATURE
The cakes and cookies are out in all its splendour and there’s just no stopping the constant stream of rendang and ketupat served in fat, festive bowls that tease our eyes and tantalise our taste buds.
Yes, it’s Hari Raya – a time of indulgences and celebration after a long, solemn month of fasting and prayer during Ramadan.
But Hari Raya aside, we are all guilty of indulging once too often, making it a norm rather than a rarity reserved for festive occasions.
Before the scales scare us into slowing down, here are some pretty simple ways to indulge without a bulge.
Eat small servings frequently – You can eat six times a day provided every meal is small and low in or devoid of sugar. Eating small meals throughout the day helps prevent blood sugar spikes. Also consciously lessen the consumption of refined carbohydrates as these stimulate cravings and result in drastic fluctuations of your blood sugar.
Make it half – you can still indulge if you are mindful of portion control. Just a few bites instead of the whole piece of cake will work nicely to keep the weight off as would sharing a sinful dessert with a friend. If you’re eating out, avoid ordering ‘jumbo meals’ – it may be cheaper but you pay heavily when the extra pounds settle on your hips.
Workout – so you partied too hard and ate too much. Well, all’s not lost since you can exercise the extra calories away. All that is required is a degree of commitment from you. Exercise helps balance blood sugar levels, ease digestion, build muscle mass and burn unwanted fat. If the gym is out of the question, how about a long walk to work up a sweat and relax you?
Don’t tempt yourself – once the festivities are over, many still find they want to indulge in cookies and chips. One way to lessen the temptation is to remove all traces of ‘naughty’ food from your home. Give the remaining snacks away to friends and refrain from purchasing any more fat-laden, sugary delicacies. Make healthier options readily available instead – pre-cut carrots, celery sticks that are great with dab of peanut butter or vitamin-enriched fruits.
Be honest – many of us are emotional eaters. We eat when we’re happy. We eat when we’re sad. We even eat when we’re bored, frustrated or angry. Instead of ‘eating’ your feelings, learn to identify what is triggering that need to eat. You’ll be surprised at what you learn about yourself. If it’s boredom that’s causing you to consider a cookie, think of something interesting to do (other than raiding the fridge). If it’s stress, do some breathing exercises to calm you down. If you’re upset about something, talking about it helps a lot better than indulging in something sinful that will only make you feel worse later.
Focus on family, not food – the festive season should not only be about the food. It’s a wonderful time for family and friends to come together in celebration. So focus more on the emotional and spiritual aspects of the festivities more than the delicious spread only.
Savour the flavour – don’t be a wet blanket and refuse to eat completely. Some indulgence is good for the soul. Learn to savour the flavour instead, appreciating the flavour of what you’re eating rather than aiming to get it into your stomach as fast as possible.
Follow the 80-20 rule – remember that if you are ‘good’ with your diet 80 per cent of the time, you can afford to indulge 20 per cent of the time without causing unsavoury results to your body or health.