The holiday season allows families and friends to gather and celebrate. It’s a time to create memories, give thanks, and share gifts. However, this season can also be when most people develop unhealthy habits, such as overindulging in Christmas cookies and fatty foods or getting drunk on New Year’s Eve champagne. Fortunately, by careful planning and a little self-control, you can enjoy time with your loved ones and avoid holiday weight gain. In this article, we’ve put together five tips to help you enjoy the holidays without risking your health.
1. Find Healthier Options at Gatherings
Like most households, gatherings usually have a lot of food during the holidays. And while there’s nothing wrong with savoring your favorite comfort foods every once in a while, private chefs also ensure that you select healthier choices from the table.
The last thing you’d want is to undo all the months’ worth of hard work because of a plate of cookies. We recommend choosing delicious and nutritious foods during the next holiday gatherings to help you monitor your weight better.
2. Practice Portion Control
We’ve all been there: the first thing on our New Year’s resolution list is to eat healthier and monitor our portion sizes. However, we’ll eventually return to our stressful and hectic schedules or lose motivation later in the year. And before we know it, we’re indulging in half a dozen cookies instead of tasting one or two pieces.
Fortunately, there is always time to make a change. Any private chef would urge you to monitor your portion sizes and carefully choose your eating habits. They would also recommend indulging in your comfort foods in moderation. That way, you can indulge in your comfort foods without throwing away your healthy eating habits.
Remember, while a few extra cookies wouldn’t hurt, consuming a whole box might leave you with a few pounds.
3. Mind Your Diet
The holidays are the perfect season to spend time with family and friends. However, where there are gatherings, there is a table of mouthwatering food that could eventually lead to weight gain if you’re not careful.
If you’re serious about practicing healthier eating habits during the holidays, private chefs recommend you to pre-plan first to avoid holiday weight gain.
If you attend a party with a table of unhealthy foods, we recommend eating a light meal before leaving to prevent overindulging.
Once it’s time to eat, it’s best to balance the sweets with fruits and vegetables and reduce them to one or two servings of each dish.
4. Follow a Healthy Meal Plan
Like most people, you might gain a few extra pounds after indulging in too many holiday treats. Fortunately, you can eliminate that holiday weight in no time when you follow a healthy meal plan.
Start by reducing your calorie intake by eating smaller meals to boost your metabolism and help your body burn the extra calories. Any private chef would recommend eating more fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains and drinking lots of water.
We also recommend exercising regularly; cardio and strength training routines are the best ways to shed unwanted pounds.
5. Exercise to Burn Extra Calories
As you get into the holiday spirit, private chefs recommend exercising regularly to help you burn the extra calories. While the holidays are a time with loved ones and extra servings, it’s also a high-risk time for weight gain. Fortunately, adding moderate-intensity activities such as swimming or walking every day into your holiday plans can help you burn extra calories.
Shaping up This Holiday Season
Hiring a private chef can whip up a delicious meal without depriving you of your favorite foods. You’ll also have more time to focus on your fitness goals since they’ll cook and clean for you.
Food Fire + Knives brings quality private chef experiences in Asheville and many more areas. Book us now and enjoy a hearty and nutritious meal this holiday season!
