5 tips to keep your weight under control this festive season

The festive season has begun and this is the time we tend to gain maximum weight. It certainly gets difficult to avoid your favourite delicacies during celebrations. But enjoying your much loved dishes does invite that extra unwanted fat. However, you can avoid that extra flab and keep a tab on you weight. Here are 5 simple tips that will help you avoid gaining weight during the festive season

Binge-eating at odd timings is a holiday delight but going overboard is very unhealthy and very easy. Skipping meals to balance out festive eating is also a very bad idea, as it only makes one ravenous later. To avoid consuming a lot of calories, eat a filling, low-calorie snack or dish before leaving for a celebration. Protein, especially, will keep you feeling full, ensuring you only eat festival treats in small amounts.

The best way to control what you consume is to assume the role of the chef. Chefs have to do a lot of tasting and all that time spent in the kitchen does take the edge off hunger. Cooking, or at least deciding what is to be cooked and how, will allow you absolute control over the amount of calories you consume. Choose the menu wisely, offer guests a range of healthy snacks. Grilling instead of frying, and steaming vegetables to retain nutrients are handy ways to reduce fat intake. Using a low-calorie spray oil is also a great way to roast food in a healthier manner.

A fridge stocked with treats after celebrations are over, is not exactly your best bet. If you are the host, make sure to only order or cook as much as needed, carefully drawing up a menu and quantity list.

Liquids are an important component of our diets, and binge consumption sessions are no different. A lot of times, our bodies mistake thirst for hunger, which leads to overeating. Craving snacks repeatedly can be a sign of dehydration. A good diet hack is to drink a glass full of water and wait for 10 minutes and then reconsider whether you want to give in to those cravings or not.

Alcohol is another high-calorie liquid that should be consumed in moderation. Try beginning the night with a refreshing mocktail, and alternate each drink with water or juice. Choosing low-calorie alcohol, including drier varieties of white and red wine, gin, champagne and light beer is also advisable.

The holiday season takes up a lot of energy, throwing us off the gym schedules and even our regular sleep cycles. Countering this disruption is important, even if the effort put in is minimal. So, working out for half an hour instead of your usual hour and a half is a much better idea than skipping gym entirely.