WHEN it comes to slimming through the festive party season, many people assume you have to say a sad goodbye to all social events if you want to lose, manage or even maintain your weight.
The great news is, however, that whether you're looking forward to a winter ball, festive drinks, a Christmas meal out or a big office party, you definitely don't have to decline your invitation because you're trying to slim.
I'm a Slimming World team developer and consultant in South Derbyshire, and as a former slimmer, I know exactly how it feels to be watching your weight and looking forward to a season full of festivities. And I know that, with Slimming World, you don't have to put life on hold and miss out on the fun like you might with other weight-loss plans.
Instead of telling members what to eat and what to avoid, at Slimming World we empower slimmers to make healthier choices about the way they shop, cook and eat and show them how they can fit these choices into their everyday lifestyle whatever that entails. Members also learn to plan ahead for potential pitfalls – like Christmas events – so they can achieve long-term weight loss success, which means worrying about staying on track really is a thing of the past.
So if the idea of protecting your weight loss this festive season fills you with dread, read on for my tips on how to tackle your party worries so nothing holds you back from having a cracker of a Christmas without piling on the pounds.
AT HOME
With Slimming World it's possible to still cook and enjoy all of your favourite Christmas meals. Our fabulous Food Optimising healthy eating plan is based on the science of energy density and satiety, meaning slimmers can fill up on healthy foods – like fruit and veg, pasta, rice, potatoes, pulses, fish, lean meat and eggs – that are low in calories yet deliciously satisfying.
Lots of these foods are the staples of Christmas meals, from turkey with all the trimmings to a traditional ham for a family feast, meaning you'll be able to enjoy all your festive favourites and won't feel like you're going without a thing. Adopting simple practices like removing the skin from your turkey, dry-roasting your potatoes and parsnips and enjoying lots of vegetables – including delicious sprouts – on the side can make Christmas dinner much healthier and equally as delicious as years gone by.
BEFORE AND AFTER THE PARTY
If you're going out drinking, make sure you have a substantial, filling meal before you leave the house, so you're not tempted by late-night snacks after a few beverages. You could even keep some lovely homemade leftovers on standby ready to be heated up quickly in the oven or microwave when you arrive home, just in case you arrive home with the munchies – it's like having your own homemade ready meals!
The next morning, create a brilliant big brekkie by combining eggs with grilled bacon (don't forget to remove the visible fat), mushrooms and tomatoes, and baked beans. Any tiredness from the night before will get a big injection of energy, without an ounce of guilt.
AT THE BAR
Research conducted by Slimming World and YouGov earlier this year found that when drinking alcohol, most of us have a tipping point after which we go on to eat and drink much more than we intended — leading us to consume an average of 6,300 extra calories in food and alcohol over two days.
There's no need to worry though, 86% of our members surveyed as part of the research told us that they still enjoy a drink in moderation and lose weight beautifully. Ninety-two per cent of members also said that, since joining Slimming World, they've discovered ways to cut down on their booze without cutting down on the fun. Simple swaps like choosing diet mixers or switching to wine spritzers by adding soda water or diet lemonade for a longer drink are great starting points. Alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks is another great strategy – it's cheaper too and you'll probably thank yourself in the morning! To find your "tipping point" or for more tips on choosing the best options at the bar, visit www.slimmingworld.com/alcohol.
AT THE RESTAURANT
If you're going for a meal, check out the menu beforehand so you can plan what you're having – making healthy choices is much easier when you know what lies ahead and lots of menus are available online nowadays. Menu items described as grilled, steamed, griddled, roasted, baked or boiled are often the healthier choices. Watch out for items described as deep-fried or battered, pan-fried, breaded, creamy, Alfredo, au gratin and those that come with creamy or cheesy sauces as they tend to be oily and packed with fat.
If a roast dinner takes your fancy, satisfy your appetite with lots of lean roast meat, boiled or baked potatoes and steamed, grilled or boiled vegetables. Grilled steak, gammon steak and chicken breast are also great options. Instead of chips, ask for vegetables or a side salad, and rice or jacket/boiled potatoes. Don't be afraid to ask for your vegetables without butter and with sauces on the side, that way you can choose how much to enjoy.
OUT AND ABOUT
When it's freezing cold and dark outside, it's so easy for your usual activity routine to take a back seat. While you don't have to embrace exercise to lose weight, more often than not we find increasing activity not only helps boost weight loss, it also helps stick to new healthy lifestyle habits.
Being active doesn't have to mean joining the gym or enduring rigorous exercise regimes, though. Increasing your activity levels could be as simple as walking the kids to school instead of driving, taking the stairs instead of the lift or parking the car further from work and walking the extra distance. Walking is a great way to keep active, and helps to boost your health and mood too. Cycling, joining the kids in a kicking a ball around, or taking up dancing are all fun ways to get more active, more often.
REST AND RELAXATION
When it comes to slimming through the festive season, it's not just the temptation to indulge that gets in the way, it's also stress, fatigue and keeping up with everything that's going on. Tiredness can zap your energy and send healthy intentions off track, so remember to get plenty of sleep. Don't put too much pressure on yourself either and remember to relax and enjoy the festivities rather than getting too hung up on planning for them.
To conclude, if you're not 100% happy with your size right now it definitely doesn't mean you can't live your life to the full. By adopting a few clever weight-loss confidence-boosting strategies like the ones above, you can really enjoy yourself throughout the Christmas festivities. The biggest challenge many of us face is keeping on track and when there is so much going on it's easy to lose sight of our best intentions. Making a commitment and getting support from others by sharing ideas and experiences at this key time of year is one way to ensure that you stay in charge of your weight throughout the party season.
