Monday, December 8, 2008
The Key To Healthy Holidays
December is a month marked by many celebrations that revolve around food, and Eid al Adha, is no exception. The coming days will see many people celebrating with family get-togethers and plenty of food.
But theres no need to put your healthy eating habits on hold. A little know-how can get you through the holidays without packing on extra pounds.
The first golden rule is to avoid skipping meals. Many people think that doing this leading up to the main meal of the day will help them eat less overall, but in fact just the opposite is true. Sitting down to a large meal on an empty stomach will make you more likely to overindulge and choose foods on impulse.
The second rule of thumb when sitting down to a holiday meal is to eat lighter foods first, such as salad or fresh fruit, before opting for the higher-calorie and fat-laden foods. Filling up on healthier foods will take the edge off your hunger and by the time it comes to eating the richer foods, youll be less likely to overdo it.
Thirdly, think quality not quantity. Once youve filled up on healthier foods, there is no reason why you cant treat yourself to a small portion of your favourite holiday dish. Decide before you start serving yourself what an acceptable amount might be usually that means enough for two or three bites. Remember, a taste is usually enough to satisfy your cravings.
A great way to help you manage portions and choose less food overall is to use smaller plates and utensils for serving and eating. It sounds surprisingly simple, but researchers at Cornell University in the US found that larger serving bowls resulted in a 31 per cent increase in serving size, while larger serving utensils resulted in a 14 per cent increase in serving size. If youre eating with your hands, be mindful of how much you are taking each time, and salad cookbook opt for a little less than you would normally.
Since most meals during Eid al Adha are celebrated with family and friends, it can be easy to lose track of how much youre eating. If this is the case for you, try to eat your meal at a leisurely pace its estimated that it takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to send a signal to your brain to let it know that you are comfortably full.
One of the easiest ways to reduce calories and fat from your holiday meal is to choose lean cuts of meat. For those preparing lamb, that means choosing chops, leg of lamb and strawberry salad dressing lamb steaks. With beef, your best bets are round, chuck, sirloin or tenderloin cuts. Goat, on the other hand, is a very lean choice, and taco salad bowls has considerably less saturated fat and calories than lamb, chicken or beef.
Regardless of the type of meat you will be preparing, remember to trim visible fat to further reduce calorie intake. Also use low-fat cooking methods. That means grilling, boiling and baking instead of frying.
When the meal is done and the festivities are wrapping up, take the cue to put the food away. The longer it is sitting there, the more people will tend to eat. If you have plenty of leftovers after your big meal, offer some to friends, familyneighbours to help prevent you from overeating in the coming days. If you still find your fridge is loaded with extra food, opt to freeze some of it for a later date.
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