Numerous holidays are approaching, in which, as usual, we will flutter from one party to another. And in the intervals between them, agonize over how best to survive this recklessness. After all, at the same time you want to kill two birds with one stone: and eat from the heart, and at the same time look stunning, while maintaining the same figure. How to keep yourself in shape among high-calorie culinary delights? By adhering to simple rules, you will not doom yourself to the need to drink exclusively mineral water, eating it with crispy carrots. Instead, you can successfully eat dinner and fit into a dress.
Never come to a party hungry, even if it is expected to be a luxurious meal. In this case, you will not have an irresistible desire to sweep away all the snacks within the first five minutes. By the way, it is after this that your appetite will only break out, which is quite natural, because snacks were invented for this! That is why during the day before the New Year’s feast, be sure to treat yourself to vegetable soup, fish, cottage cheese, fruit or yogurt – in general, something light and at the same time capable of taking up a significant amount of your stomach.
If you are seriously afraid that the festive feasts will turn into the purchase of clothes two sizes larger for you, feel free to invite guests … to your home.
Firstly, New Year’s chores on the eve of the parties will no longer give you the opportunity to get better.
Secondly, the process of preparing all kinds of dishes by itself will somewhat reduce your appetite.
Thirdly, during the party you simply will not have enough time to eat anything in excess of the dishes on the table.
But to deprive yourself of a glass of champagne on New Year’s Eve would be somewhat blasphemous. Especially since champagne is much less caloric than other spirits and cocktails. Give yourself pleasure with a glass of good wine, but drink it very slowly, in small sips. And don’t forget the water. There is a direct relationship: the more we drink alcohol, the more our body needs water. Ideally, it is advisable to drink a glass of water after each glass of wine. In this case, the next day you will not be tormented by a severe hangover, and your skin will not be in such a deplorable state.
When preparing New Year’s feasts and developing a banquet menu, avoid foods that are too high in calories. An excellent alternative to them can serve as a product such as fish. Aspic of fish, baked carp for hot, a little red caviar or sturgeon for a snack, even a few caviar sandwiches can be afforded without any worries. Sea scallops, shrimps, mussels, squids are in no way inferior to them. But without exorbitant amounts of mayonnaise and sauces. Instead, make sure that there are enough greens on the table (dill, parsley, onion, bell pepper, cucumbers). In their presence, animal proteins are able to be digested faster.
If you have to visit buffets quite often, still try to choose a place and sit down. When you stand and talk, you cannot control the amount of food you eat. But sitting at the table for a lively conversation (fortunately there is always something to discuss), the volume of food consumed on average decreases by one quarter. But do not sit next to the “harmful”. Butter, mayonnaise, all kinds of sauces, as well as sugar and sweets are the inevitable companions of any holiday, and therefore they are eaten without hesitation. But it is these products that can dramatically increase the calorie content of dishes, so try to sit away from them and not notice them at all.
Even before the party, agree with yourself how many servings of snacks you will allow yourself. This will give you the feeling that everything is under control. At the same time, try to eat slowly so that the taste buds have time to perceive the entire flavor bouquet. Enjoy the dish, slowly inhaling its aroma, admire the way it is decorated. Thus, you will not only satisfy your hunger more quickly and get great pleasure from eating, but also come to a joyful mood corresponding to the holiday. Isn’t that what banquets are for?
By the way, there is another little trick that allows you not to “sweep” everything at once. For this it is enough about twenty minutes before you sit down at the festive table to drink a glass of ordinary or mineral water, which can be replaced with a glass of herbal tea. The fact is that water can in some way stop the appetite, and thus, after drinking the liquid you have, you will eat a little less than you planned before.
Even when you’re visiting your best friends, you shouldn’t feel obligated to eat everything that’s on your plate. The best way out is to try a little of everything. And if you don’t like something, don’t eat it – as a last resort, so as not to offend anyone, say that you are on a diet (this is so fashionable today that you will be understood without further questions).
No one will deny the importance of the festive dinner, but at the same time, none of us should still forget what all these New Year’s parties were invented for. Come to the party in a carnival costume, dance a lot, make witty toasts. In general, smile, have fun, communicate. And then food and drinks will cease to be the center of your attention and a long headache after the holidays.
Xenia USPENSKA.
