Tips for balancing sugar and alcohol during the Christmas holidays: avoid empty calories

Introduction

Welcome to our blog post titled "Tips for Eating Healthy During the Holidays." The Christmas holiday period is almost synonymous with sumptuous lunches, abundant dinners and exaggerated quantities of typical desserts. It is the moment in which we indulge in some deviations from the rule, while remaining aware of the fact that excessive binges can cause weight accumulation and damage our health. The period between Christmas and New Year is famous for being a real gastronomic marathon. Appetizing recipes and culinary traditions come together, making these days unforgettable for the palate, but also a potential risk for our physical fitness and well-being if not correctly managed. The holidays can quickly turn into a nightmare for your figure and your health if you don't pay attention to what you put on your plate. The atmosphere of celebration and joyful conviviality, often typical of these occasions, means that foods and meals become one of the main protagonists, transforming the usual albeit fundamental rules of a healthy and balanced diet into options that are often ignored. Thus, the result is an inevitable accumulation of weight and a general deterioration in health. The effects of this type of diet are not limited to simple weight gain, but extend to various aspects of our organism. Excess fats and sugars, combined with excessive consumption of salt and alcohol, can cause abdominal swelling, increased cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. Furthermore, in the long term, it could contribute to the development of chronic pathologies such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, it is possible to enjoy the holidays without putting your health and physical well-being at risk. The key is finding a balance between taste and nutrition, making conscious and informed decisions about what and how much to eat. Our goal with this post is to provide you with practical and feasible advice for approaching the holidays in a healthy way, without having to give up the pleasures of the table. Read on to find out how to eat healthy during the holidays.

Holiday lunches and dinners: common mistakes

During the holidays, it's easy to fall into several common mistakes that can compromise our healthy eating regime. A frequent mistake is excessive intake of sugars, alcohol and calories in general. Typical Christmas desserts are often high in sugar and fat, and alcohol makes a regular appearance in most festive meals. Portions also tend to be much more generous than usual, thanks to the abundance of delicious foods and the tendency to want to celebrate in abundance. Another risk related to holiday meals is spending a lot of time sitting at the table. This can lead to excessive food consumption, also due to socializing and the pleasure of being together. We often sit at the table for lunch and only get up for dinner, with small breaks in between, which translate into a sedentary lifestyle for a few days. Furthermore, during the holiday, meals are generally not balanced. While during the year we try to have a varied diet that includes all food groups, during the holidays, the consumption of meat, cheese, sweets and alcohol often predominates, to the detriment of fruit, vegetables and fibre. This nutritional imbalance can cause imbalances in our body and promote the accumulation of fats. It is important to remember that these holidays represent only a few days a year and should not become the norm. So, while giving a little freedom at the table, it is good to try to maintain good eating habits. A good strategy may be to balance the various courses and portions, avoid spending too much time at the table and, above all, try to work off excess calories with a bit of physical activity. Nobody forbids you to enjoy the holidays and good traditional dishes, it is sufficient to do so with moderation and awareness of your food choices. Furthermore, let's remember that the best conversations are often had during a digestive walk in the open air, rather than in front of a plate of leftovers. Happy holidays and bon appetit!

Excess sugars

During the holiday season, it's easy to give in to temptation and overindulge in sweets and food in general. Unfortunately, the increase in calorie intake during this period of the year mainly comes from the consumption of excess sugars, present in abundance in the typical desserts of this season. Among the sweet foods that are never missing on Christmas tables are panettone and pandoro, two of the most loved and rooted traditions in our culture. But be careful, consuming these foods without moderation can lead to excessive calorie intake. Pandoro, a typical Veronese dessert, is rich in butter and sugar. In fact, one ounce of this delicious dessert provides around 400 calories, deriving largely from simple fats and sugars, which provide immediate energy but, if not used, turns into adipose deposits. Panettone, on the other hand, although certainly a caloric dessert, is preferable to pandoro in terms of nutritional intake. In fact, even if it has a similar caloric content (about 350 calories per 100 grams), it is less fat and contains a lower percentage of simple sugars. Furthermore, panettone contains raisins and candied fruit which, although in small quantities, provide fiber and vitamins. Despite this, it is essential to remember that both these desserts, as well as the others typical of the Christmas period, should be consumed in moderation. Even if you decide to opt for panettone over pandoro, it is still important to keep portions under control. In fact, a piece of panettone (about 50 grams) already contains about 175 calories. A tip to limit the intake of excess sugar during the holidays could be to favor the consumption of fruit as dessert, perhaps accompanied by a small portion of panettone or pandoro. In this way, you can enjoy the flavor of these iconic Christmas desserts, without feeling the need to binge. In conclusion, during the holidays it is possible to indulge in some sweets, but always with moderation and awareness, to prevent a holiday period from turning into a nightmare for the scales. Remember, the trick is always to maintain a balance, even during the holidays!

Empty calories: what are they?

"Empty calories: what are they?" The holidays represent a time of year in which we indulge in a little extra indulgence at the table; between Christmas desserts, Christmas Eve dinner and opulent lunches, it is difficult to resist the temptation. However, alongside foods with rich caloric endowments, there are the insidious 'empty calories' that lurk in what we drink. But what do we mean by 'empty calories'? This term refers to all those calories that do not provide any nutrients to the body, foods or drinks that provide energy, but do not contain vitamins, minerals, fiber or proteins. It's as if they 'fill' our body without giving it anything substantial. This type of calories, therefore, does not provide any type of satiety, which is why we often tend to consume them in excess without even realizing it. One of the main examples of 'empty calories' can be found in alcoholic drinks and carbonated soft drinks. Let's think about the classic end-of-year toast or accompanying a meal with a glass of wine: even if they give us pleasure and conviviality, these drinks provide practically no useful nutrients for the body. Not to mention carbonated drinks, often rich in refined sugars, which provide a significant calorie intake but nothing more. These sugary drinks can fill our body with empty calories which, in the long run, could lead to the accumulation of fat and encourage the onset of various pathologies, such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. How can we then avoid running into these pitfalls? It is essential to limit the consumption of alcoholic and carbonated drinks, particularly during the holidays, when temptations are everywhere. A good compromise could be to limit the number of toasts and drink a maximum of two glasses of wine per meal. Furthermore, try to hydrate yourself by preferably consuming water, which not only does not contain 'empty calories', but helps keep the body well hydrated and aids digestion. In conclusion, avoiding 'empty calories' helps maintain a correct eating style and preserve our health, without necessarily having to give up the pleasure of enjoying a good meal on special occasions. Remember: moderation is always the key.

Courses and portions: how to adjust

During the holidays, it's easy to get drawn in by the wide variety of dishes available and we often find ourselves eating more than we normally would. It is important, however, to pay attention to the number of courses and the size of the portions, in order to maintain a balanced diet even on those days. One of the most common mistakes is to think that because it is a day of celebration, we can let ourselves go without complications. But the occasional binge can turn into a problem when it repeats over time. An effective method to limit calorie intake during holiday meals is to avoid having an encore. It's not about depriving ourselves of the pleasures of the table, but simply about being aware of how much we are eating. Often the temptation to do an encore occurs when the food is really tasty, but it is important to remember that there will always be another opportunity to enjoy it again. Another useful strategy is to limit your carbohydrate intake the day before the big binge. This advice does not mean completely giving up carbohydrates, but rather carefully choosing which and how many to eat. Remember, the goal is to balance the holiday meal within the context of a healthy, balanced diet. Clearly, the choice of courses is of great importance. It is advisable to choose lean proteins such as turkey, chicken or baked fish, foods that provide an important nutritional contribution and, at the same time, contain a very low fat content. Finally, it is good to be careful with condiments. Sauces and gravies can turn a seemingly healthy dish into a calorie bomb. Many holiday foods are generously seasoned with high-fat condiments such as butter, cream, oil and mayonnaise. We try to use them in moderation and, when possible, opt for lighter alternatives. A final tip is to listen to your body. It takes time for our stomach to send the signal of satisfaction to the brain. So, eat slowly, enjoy every bite and give your body a chance to feel full. Remember, the purpose of parties is not to binge, but to share happy moments with the people we love, enjoying good food in a conscious and respectful way for our body.