It is that time of the year again…
Year-end functions
Christmas parties
Holiday munchies…
All of these can make it fairly difficult to eat healthily and stay in shape, or to loose weight during the Festive season.
While most of 2017’s New Year resolutions have already been forgotten, it is not too late to end the year on a HEALTHY NOTE and start 2018 RENEWED.
A few guidelines:
- Aim to have SMALL frequent meals throughout the day. This will prevent you from becoming over-hungry.
- Keep well hydrated with MORE water and LESS sugary drinks
- Don’t deprive yourself. If you feel like having ice cream/ treat, have a small portion of it, or SHARE it.
- Always make sure that you are NOT STARVING when going to a function. Have a fruit or small yogurt before you leave home to PREVENT yourself from over-eating or making “irresponsible decisions”.
- Physical activity. Do fun physical activities with your family, e.g. cycling, hiking, playing on the beach, etc.
- FRESH FOOD. What is more CONVENIENT, REFRESHING AND NUTRITIOUS than fresh fruit, nuts, low fat cheeses and a crisp salad? It is not necessary to fill your picnic basket with cardboard and lettuce leaves, but it is advisable to pack something from each food group.
The following table serves as a guide for healthy picnic ideas:
| Fruit and vegetables | Carbohydrates | Meat / Protein |
| Fresh fruit chunks or kebabs
Cherry tomatoes Fresh Gherkins Mini corn Sugar snap peas Baby carrots Avo dip
|
Boiled baby potatoes
Crackerbread Provitas Home made popcorn Low GI seeded bread Sweetcorn on the cob
|
Low fat cottage cheese
Low fat cheese Tinned fish, e.g tuna Left-over cooked chicken and roast meat Raw nuts Three bean salad Mini crustless quiches Boiled eggs |
And most important of all, remember to ENJOY the FESTIVE SEASON!
Contributor: Melissa Ludick, Dietician at FEMINA HEALTH.