Research shows that we gain an average of 5 – 7 pounds over the 4 week Christmas period. To achieve that, we eat (or drink!) an average of an extra 550 calories per day. That’s the equivalent of a mince pie and couple of glasses of wine every day. It’s fine to have a few Christmas treats, but tucking in daily will leave your feeling guilty and your clothes feeling tight in January. Some tips below.

Preparation is key. Pretox when you can….

  • Think of the party season as an endurance event and get yourself ready by watching your diet and trying to get to bed earlier on the days that you are not out
  • Don’t let your exercise routine fall by the wayside in December. Try to continue to exercise at least a couple of times a week. Even a brisk 30 minute walk is much better than nothing and will burn off at least1/2 of the 240 calories from that mince pie you have just eaten
  • Keep tabs on your weight gain. Don’t wait until January to measure yourself or take action. If your clothes are already starting to feel tight take some steps now to limit treats over Christmas

On a night out….

  • On party days fuel yourself properly throughout the day. Eat a good breakfast and lunch, including some protein and wholegrains. The body responds to high levels of glucose from alcohol by producing insulin, which leads to a drop in blood sugar. Hence why we sometimes get the munchies after a big night out. Fuelling yourself properly beforehand can make a big difference
  • Don’t drink on an empty stomach. Within 5 minutes of having a drink, there is a measurable amount of alcohol in your blood and absorption is increased if your stomach is empty. An hour before you hit the town, have a meal or at least a snack containing a little healthy fat. Fat takes longer to digest, staying in the stomach and slowing down the rate at which alcohol hits the blood stream. Try a peanut butter sandwich, or some oat cakes or wholegrain crackers with red pesto and goat’s cheese (see recipe)before you leave the house or office
  • Watch what you drink. Alcoholic drinks contain by-products of fermentation called congeners. Found in higher levels in red wine and darker spirits such as dark rum, whiskey and tequila, these toxins can increase the frequency and severity of

hangovers. The carbonation in beer and fizzy mixers can speed up the absorption rate of alcohol. Congeners from different drinks can react with each other and make you feel even worse. Stick to one type of drink throughout the night and drink white wine or clear spirits such as vodka, gin and white rum and mix with water or juice

  • Slow down when you drink. We can only detoxify about one drink an hour, so slow down. The liver needs water to eliminate toxins and alcohol’s diuretic effect makes that more difficult. Drink plenty of water during the day and another large glass an hour before you start celebrating. Have a glass of water between every alcoholic drink and don’t forget another large glass of water or two on your way to bed
  • Watch the calories. Some drinks can have as many calories as a meal, particularly creamy or sugary cocktails. Party nibbles are notoriously high in calories and very easy to scoff if you go out without eating. Try the one-hand rule – limit yourself to one handful of nuts or crisps or only a couple of canapes.
  • Watch your portion size. It may be a tradition to stuff ourselves on Christmas day, but try to avoid overeating throughout the season. Decide that you won’t finish your plate or that you won’t have a starter or desert. Having a plan in advance should help you to avoid eating the extra calories on a regular basis over Christmas
  • Eat eggs for breakfast after a night out. Eggs are high in cysteine, an amino acid that helps to break down toxic by-products of alcohol. Ideally combine with some wholegrains to prop up flagging blood sugar levels and give you an energy boost. Try poached eggs, tomatoes and wholegrain toast or a wholegrain bagel with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon

Calories in your favourite party drink and food

Glass red wine (175ml) / 120 – 140 calories / 30 minutes on trampoline
Gin & tonic / 120 – 160 calories / 20 minutes aerobics
Glass baileys (37ml) / 130 calories / 20 minutes soccer
Pringles original (30g = 16 crisps) / 157 calories / 22 minutes cycling
Mince pie with cream / 368 calories / 45 minutes swimming
5 cocktail sausages / 110 calories / 15 minutes skipping

This recipe is great for party food, spread on toasted wholegrain baguette slices, topped with a little goat’s cheese or crumbled feta.

Red pesto

Preparation 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 ½ cups sundried tomatoes in oil

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1 ½ cups olive oil (use oil that tomatoes were stored in)

1 clove garlic, crushed or grated (optional)

2 handfuls fresh basil

1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

  • Blend sundried tomatoes and almonds in food processor for a minute or two
  • Then add in remaining ingredients and blend until desired consistency achieved
  • This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Store in a jam jar or other air tight container and ensure that the pesto is covered with a thin layer of olive oil

Ways to use red pesto

  1. Spread 1 tsp. pesto inside a wholegrain pitta and fill with leftover turkey and salad
  2. Mix 1 tbsp. pesto with 3 tbsp. full fat natural yoghurt to make a healthy dip. Perfect for parties and for lunchboxes
  3. Toss pesto through some wholegrain pasta and serve with a green salad
  4. Crunchy pesto cod - mix pesto with wholemeal breadcrumbs and use to top white fish e.g. cod. Bake in oven and serve with steamed vegetables
  5. Pesto pizza – spread 2 tsp. pesto on a wholegrain wrap, top with veg and mozzarella / feta and bake for 6 - 8 minutes
  6. Roast vegetables and chicken drumsticks in the oven and top with red pesto for last 5 minutes of roasting time
  7. Use as marinade for grilled prawns or fish

Click this link to see Heather making the pesto dip on TV3