Festive swaps to boost the health of your Christmas dinner.

You might have heard of the ‘holiday pound’ that many of us gain each festive season and the fact that many of us never drop it. With obesity and disordered eating rife in Australia, sticking to a diet that is healthy for you can be tough over Christmas.

Over-eating is the most obvious food-related problem at Christmas, but people with restrictive eating disorders find it difficult too. If you struggle to gain weight, then it is as important for you to eat healthily as it would be if you were overweight.

Here are some ways to make sure you get the right nutrients in the right quantities this summer, no matter your health goals.

Eat mindfully from a plate to maintain your portion size.

1)      Eat mindfully from a plate

With cocktail parties and other festive events, we often encounter grazing platters or find ourselves eating while standing. If you can, make yourself a plate of food to eat as one meal. It is much easier to over- or under-eat when you aren’t fully focussing on your food.

Taking the time to focus on your food allows you to be present and enjoy it fully. It generally takes 20 minutes for us to realise our stomach is full, so slowing down and eating mindfully helps prevent over-eating in that sense too.

Portion carefully to reduce over or undereating.

2)      Portion carefully

The best way to taste everything without going overboard is to take a little of each item. Many of us grew up being told to eat everything on our plate, which has trickled into our lives now, but it can be unhealthy when food is in abundance.

While we aren’t telling you to waste food, it is also important to stay healthy and happy over the festive period. You can always go up for seconds, but food left on your plate is more likely to be overeaten, and if not then it might get wasted.

Eat protein first to make sure you get enough and to boost your metabolism.

3)      Eat protein first 

When you eat more protein, you feel fuller for longer. By making sure you eat enough protein, you reduce your likeliness of snacking throughout the day. Eating your protein first might also speed up your metabolism when it comes to digesting the rest of your meal.

Eat your veggies straight after your protein and your carbohydrates last to make sure you get all your vitamins and minerals before you feel full. Many people find that protein-veggies-carbs-dessert works well – but this varies between everyone, so please don’t get caught up on it while enjoying your meals!

Make healthy swaps to eat better over Christmas.

4)      Make healthy swaps 

There are usually some common offenders when it comes to unhealthy Christmas eating. Switch up the usual suspects to get more veggies and fewer chemicals and saturated fat from your meals.

What’s ‘healthy’ is subjective, so the best swaps will be too. For many people, ‘healthier’ means ‘fewer calories’. So, to help you get proper nutrients over the festive period, here are some ideas for a lighter Aussie Christmas.

·         BBQed prawn gem lettuce cups

o   Instead of lashings of mayonnaise, opt for a lighter and more nutritious fresh prawn in your lettuce cups.

·         Fruit and crudites platters

o   Instead of cheese and processed meats, go for whatever fresh fruit and veggies are in season around you. Protein-filled dips like houmous are great for sprucing up those dippers.

·         Cauliflower cheese

o   Instead of potato bake, add some veggies into your cheese mix. You can use whatever veg you want, but broccoli, kale and cauliflower are our favourites.

·         Pavlova and fresh fruit

o   It wouldn’t be an Aussie summer without pavlova, and there’s no way to avoid the sugar content of meringue without sacrificing flavour. Try out healthier toppings like fresh fruit and Greek yoghurt-based cream.

·         Herby roasted veggies

o   Instead of super-salty potatoes cooked in fats, use a combination of fresh and dry herbs and just a little salt. Choose healthier (but tastier!) fats like olive oil over animal fat and vegetable oil.

·         Homemade sauces

o   Instead of tinned cranberry and creamy dressings, make your own sauces. Fresh sauces taste fantastic with BBQed meats and contain much more of the original fruit’s nutritional value.

Festive swaps and healthy eating at Christmas

Christmas is a time for family and fun, so please don’t let food worries deflect from that. It is understandable if you are nervous, especially if you have worked hard to lose or gain weight and are worried about ‘ruining’ that.

Eating what you want for one day of the year is never going to undo the rest of your hard work but being a little more mindful over the festive period can help you stay even closer to your goals.

If you are worried about your health at Christmas or any other time, book to see your doctor who will be happy to talk through all your concerns.

Felicity Thompson

and