I was recently down in the states to see my family for american Thanksgiving, and while sitting there eating my turkey and stuffing, surrounded by loved ones, I realised that this holiday was really all about the food. My aunt and stepmum had spent days planning the menu and had been up since dawn cooking. My cousin and Busia had arrived laden with appetizers and desserts, and all of the men brought more wine and champagne than was necessary... which doesn't mean to say that it wasn't all gone by morning.
And it's not just Thanksgiving and holidays - it's dinner dates, coffee dates, breakfast meetings, and cocktail receptions. It's drinks with the girls, beers with the boys, housewarming muffins, birthday cake at the office, and popcorn with movies. Rarely are we engaging in these acts of eating and drinking out of the neccessity of being hungry or thirsty; it's almost as though we don't feel comfortable to interact unless there's a plate between us or a glass to cheers.
Of course, 'tis the season to eat drink and be merry. All of the magazines right now are full of helpful tips to 'avoid that holiday bulge', so I was weary to write this blog post. But then I read an article and was confronted with advice like: 'eat before you go out', and 'only eat one of each hors d'oeuvre', and I thought maybe I could offer some advice that we can actually all follow.
~ 'Eat before you go out' - this is not only rude but often times just plain impractical. But, when you do eat out at a restaurant never add salt or butter to your food. Why do you think it already tastes so delicious?! I work at a restaurant in a culinary school and the food is superb and the diners all leave happy and full. But trust me on this one: the chefs of tomorrow are being taught by the chefs of today to throw fistfuls of salt (yes, plural) in the veggies and slabs of butter almost as big as the meat into the pan with it.
~ Try to drink little to no water while eating, or directly afterwards. If you need to drink something, hot is best (mulled wine?!) but cold water is the worst. It dillutes the acid and enzymes in your stomach which can slow down digestion. This can lead to discomfort and bloating - never a good look in that holiday dress, and even worse if you're lucky enough to get a little Christmas nookie.
~ This 'only eat one' advice is just asking for trouble; it's like the add says: bet you can't eat just one! So instead, if you know a particular item will be trouble, either stay away completely (If I even open a bag of Oreo Cookies or Mini Eggs I will consume all of them at record speed - so instead, I just say no!), or wait until there is only one or two left to try one, or even grab one as you're walking out the door, either way avoiding further temptation.
~ Lastly try to think a little about the order in which you put things in your mouth (yes yes, that's what she said). Hit the veggie tray first and try to fill up on the good stuff. Then when you get to the 'bad' carbs (aka dessert) try to eat them with some protein (nuts and cheese will probably be the most readily available). Protein takes longer to digest and will ultimately lessen the peak in your blood-sugar that eating high GI carbs alone creates - when your glucose levels stay more consistent you will feel fuller for longer and your metabolism will work more efficiently. You get less fat!
With all of that said, there is always the viewpoint that that is what New Years resolutions are for, and it's Christmas time so eat what you damn well please...
Merry Christmas everyone, and please do Eat, Drink and be very very Merry xox
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