Tips for a healthier festive season
Research shows that we gain an average of 5 – 7 pounds over the 4 week Christmas period.
To achieve that, we eat (or drink!) an average of an extra 550 calories per day. That’s the
equivalent of a mince pie and couple of glasses of wine every day. It’s fine to have a few
Christmas treats, but tucking in daily will leave your feeling guilty and your clothes feeling
tight in January. Some tips below.
Preparation is key. Pretox when you can….
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Think of the party season as an endurance event and get yourself ready by watching
your diet and trying to get to bed earlier on the days that you are not out
Don’t let your exercise routine fall by the wayside in December. Try to continue to
exercise at least a couple of times a week. Even a brisk 30 minute walk is much better
than nothing and will burn off at least 1/2 of the 240 calories from that mince pie you
have just eaten
Keep tabs on your weight gain. Don’t wait until January to measure yourself or take
action. If your clothes are already starting to feel tight take some steps now to limit
treats over Christmas
On a night out….
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On party days fuel yourself properly throughout the day. Eat a good breakfast and
lunch, including some protein and wholegrains. The body responds to high levels of
glucose from alcohol by producing insulin, which leads to a drop in blood sugar. Hence
why we sometimes get the munchies after a big night out. Fuelling yourself properly
beforehand can make a big difference
Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Within 5 minutes of having a drink, there is a
measurable amount of alcohol in your blood and absorption is increased if your stomach
is empty. An hour before you hit the town, have a meal or at least a snack containing a
little healthy fat. Fat takes longer to digest, staying in the stomach and slowing down
the rate at which alcohol hits the blood stream. Try a peanut butter sandwich, or some
oat cakes or wholegrain crackers with red pesto and goat’s cheese (see recipe) before
you leave the house or office
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Tips for a healthier festive season
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Watch what you drink. Alcoholic drinks contain by-products of fermentation called
congeners. Found in higher levels in red wine and darker spirits such as dark rum,
whiskey and tequila, these toxins can increase the frequency and severity of
hangovers. The carbonation in beer and fizzy mixers can speed up the absorption rate of
alcohol. Congeners from different drinks can react with each other and make you feel
even worse. Stick to one type of drink throughout the night and drink white wine or
clear spirits such as vodka, gin and white rum and mix with water or juice
Slow down when you drink. We can only detoxify about one drink an hour, so slow
down. The liver needs water to eliminate toxins and alcohol’s diuretic effect makes that
more difficult. Drink plenty of water during the day and another large glass an hour
before you start celebrating. Have a glass of water between every alcoholic drink and
don’t forget another large glass of water or two on your way to bed
Watch the calories. Some drinks can have as many calories as a meal, particularly
creamy or sugary cocktails. Party nibbles are notoriously high in calories and very easy
to scoff if you go out without eating. Try the one-hand rule – limit yourself to one
handful of nuts or crisps or only a couple of canapes.
Watch your portion size. It may be a tradition to stuff ourselves on Christmas day, but
try to avoid overeating throughout the season. Decide that you won’t finish your plate
or that you won’t have a starter or desert. Having a plan in advance should help you to
avoid eating the extra calories on a regular basis over Christmas
Eat eggs for breakfast after a night out. Eggs are high in cysteine, an amino acid that
helps to break down toxic by-products of alcohol. Ideally combine with some
wholegrains to prop up flagging blood sugar levels and give you an energy boost. Try
poached eggs, tomatoes and wholegrain toast or a wholegrain bagel with scrambled
eggs and smoked salmon
Calories in your favourite party drink and food
Glass red wine (175ml)
Gin & tonic
Glass baileys (37ml)
Pringles original (30g = 16 crisps)
Mince pie with cream
5 cocktail sausages
www.glenvillenutrition.ie
120 – 140 calories
120 – 160 calories
130 calories
157 calories
368 calories
110 calories
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30 minutes on trampoline
20 minutes aerobics
20 minutes soccer
22 minutes cycling
45 minutes swimming
15 minutes skipping
info@glenvillenutrition.ie
Tips for a healthier festive season
This recipe is great for party food, spread on toasted wholegrain baguette slices, topped
with a little goat’s cheese or crumbled feta.
Red pesto
Preparation 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 ½ cups sundried tomatoes in oil
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 ½ cups olive oil (use oil that tomatoes were stored in)
1 clove garlic, crushed or grated (optional)
2 handfuls fresh basil
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
 Blend sundried tomatoes and almonds in food processor for a minute or two
 Then add in remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency achieved
 This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Store in a jam jar or other air tight
container and ensure that the pesto is covered with a thin layer of olive oil
Ways to use red pesto
1. Spread 1 tsp. pesto inside a wholegrain pitta and fill with leftover turkey and salad
2. Mix 1 tbsp. pesto with 3 tbsp. full fat natural yoghurt to make a healthy dip. Perfect
for parties and for lunchboxes
3. Toss pesto through some wholegrain pasta and serve with a green salad
4. Crunchy pesto cod - mix pesto with wholemeal breadcrumbs and use to top white
fish e.g. cod. Bake in oven and serve with steamed vegetables
5. Pesto pizza – spread 2 tsp. pesto on a wholegrain wrap, top with veg and mozzarella
/ feta and bake for 6 - 8 minutes
6. Roast vegetables and chicken drumsticks in the oven and top with red pesto for last
5 minutes of roasting time
7. Use as marinade for grilled prawns or fish
Click this link to see Heather making the pesto dip on TV3
http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/800/102340/0/Sunday-AM
www.glenvillenutrition.ie
01 4020777
info@glenvillenutrition.ie