In Bermuda, our holiday season often seems to begin around the end of November and stretch into mid-January. It’s a time for seemingly endless feasting and merriment.
So, it’s little wonder that many of us suffer more than a twinge of diner’s remorse when the New Year rolls around.
With irresistible treats at every turn, it’s hardly realistic to expect anyone to constantly “stick to their diet”, so is there a way to strategically enjoy your favorite seasonal foods while keeping your health goals on track?
More importantly, when you are hosting a holiday gathering, how do you provide healthy options without sacrificing taste for nutritional benefit?
We met Catherine Burns, nutritional therapist at Waterfront Wellness and The Royal Gazette columnist, for advice on navigating holiday temptation.
Tips for a regret-free holiday season
“Statistically, the average person gains two pounds every year during the holidays and never loses any of it, which means that over 20 years your feasting can add 40 pounds to your overall weight,” Ms Burns said.
“Ideally, the best strategy would be to lose weight in advance, so you don’t wind up dreading the holidays.”
But if that is not feasible, Ms Burns recommended taking a more strategic approach to your indulgence.
“If you know you will be attending several events, decide in advance which ones you are going to ‘really let go at’ and try to only eat carbs once during the meal – in other words choose to eat potatoes or dessert – not both,” she said.
“When people are serving themselves at a buffet, they typically start by loading half their plate with carbs followed by about a quarter plate of protein and a quarter plate of vegetables.
“But simply switching to filling half your plate with greens and non-starchy vegetables before you add anything else can really help with portion control without leaving you feeling like you are depriving yourself.”
She added that exercising after a meal is a great way to lower your blood sugar.
“Even a 15-minute walk can make a significant difference, so be sure to turn this into a holiday tradition that the whole family takes part in.”
Strategic menu planning
The key to successful holiday entertaining starts with striking a balance between indulgence and health when you are planning the menu.
“One of the easiest ways to cut calories is to offer a delicious alcohol-free cocktail served in a beautiful glass so it feels festive,” Ms Burns said.
“If you are hosting a pot-luck event, be sure to play to people’s culinary strengths by asking friends or relatives with healthy eating habits themselves to prepare the more nutritious items so that they will be tasty dishes that everyone can enjoy.”
Holiday entertaining ideas
- Swap out some typical deep-fried hors d’oeuvre items with things like smoked salmon on dark rye with goat cheese, or a mixture of hummus and chutney.
- Cherry tomatoes stuffed with guacamole or half medjool dates wrapped with English bacon make delicious alternatives to chips and cream-based dips.
- Chicken satay skewers make great high protein low carb hors d’oeuvres.
- Substituting roasted sweet potatoes for traditional mashed potatoes saves on carbs without sacrificing flavour.
- Offering a selection of single-serving desserts helps with portion control.
- Gluten-free or dairy-free desserts are not necessarily healthy or low calorie – they are only allergy free.
- The traditional Bermuda codfish breakfast is the ideal meal to consume for a hangover as the eggs are very high in protein and the avocado is a powerful antioxidant.
