There are two misconceptions when it comes to starting any healthy lifestyle or weight loss journey:
- You have to miss out on the foods you love (especially in the holiday season)
- Dining out is an absolute no-no!
Instead, the key to weight loss (and maintaining it) is swapping out calorie-dense foods for more natural, low-calorie alternatives!
It’s time to face the facts: Christmas is here.
Christmas means long celebrations packed with picnics, BBQ’s and family vacations – all of which can undermine your weight loss goals – but only if you let them! With a few simple changes, and greater awareness of what is actually in your favourite Christmas treats, you can still have your cake and eat it too!
Fear not: you can still drink!
Moderating the type and amount of drinks you consume this Christmas doesn’t have to be an ANTI-fun chore! No, here at SuperFastDiet we believe that one shouldn’t have to get rid of all of the foods and drinks they enjoy. Instead, think smarter about how to make these indulgences as healthy as possible.
Our top Christmas beverage suggestions are:
- Drinking Soda or sparkling water with lemon/lime (vodka optional)– instead of a soft drink
- A glass of red wine (or two), or an icy, fruity cocktail (Mojito = 160 calories) – instead of large creamy, sugary cocktails that are calorie-dense (Creamy Midori Splice 370 cal)
- Or simply just diluting your white wine and champagne with sparkling water, to reduce your alcohol and calorie intake (without anyone even knowing 😉 )
BYO Dips and crisps
Now here’s where most people go wrong, and understandably – the grazing platter. Communal food may seem innocent at first, however, when in deep conversation with a long lost cousin, one can easily find themselves single-handedly finishing of a wheel of double brie. It also turns out that many of your favourite commercial dips are oil-based, and actually packed full of fats, sodium, and preservatives. So in order to monitor your grazing and the types of dips passing your lips, don’t feel afraid to BYO nibbles! We suggest making your own yoghurt, tomato-based dips and pairing them with some crunchy kale chips or vegetable sticks. Note: Check out SFD’s healthy hummus recipes for ideas!
New and improved Christmas Roast
Believe it or not, many store bought ham roasts are high in saturated fat, salt, and nitrates, which can send the calorific value of your Christmas meal soaring. In order to avoid an unnecessary amount of calories, consider swapping the common ham for a leaner cut of meat like pork-loin or turkey. Note: be sure to buy a cut of meat that does not have any water or tenderising solution added to it. To top it off, swap the thick traditional sugar coating for an antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice and calorie-free stevia. Trust me if it tastes good it tastes good, no one will question a little change or two!
So-long Sausages
It’s time to say goodbye to one of the most calorie-dense meats, sausages! This simple snag is not only highly processed and packed full of saturated fat, sodium and preservatives, but too has been linked to cancer by Cancer Research UK. But if these are a staple in your diet, we can only suggest that you choose the freshest sausages and try and choose ones with the fewest ingredients. However, we highly encourage opting for some grilled fish instead! Check out our many SFD fish recipes on our website.
Don’t you dare cut out Dessert
Let’s be real: Christmas isn’t Christmas without dessert. Here at Super Fast Diet, we are not about cutting out food groups and certainly don’t endorse skipping an extra special Christmas dessert. Instead we believe in moderation and substitution.
Below are a few of our favourite low-calorie sweets that are sure to brighten up your Christmas:
- Fruit salad
- Low-calorie ice cream made with Greek yoghurt
- Chia pudding
- Dark chocolate
- All of our SFD Dessert Recipes! We highly recommend trying our ‘chocolate dipped fresh figs with hazelnut crumb’ and ‘pink champagne jelly with watermelon and blueberries‘.
Unfortunately, store-bought desserts are packed full of nasties, so if you have the time to whip up some homemade treats we highly recommend doing so!
Below are some baking ingredient alternatives, which you can use to create healthier versions of your Christmas favourites:
- Cocoa for cacao
- Refined white sugar for rice malt syrup, honey, or natural maple syrup
- Cream for Greek yoghurt
- Full cream dairy-based milk for sugar-free almond milk
- White flour for wholemeal flour or almond meal
Don’t be afraid to ‘treat yourself’ this festive season! As long as you enjoy your favourite Christmas treats in moderation, and try to substitute for healthier ingredients where possible. You’ll be able to avoid pilling on those pesky extra kilos that creep in this time of year.
