The typical holiday buffet is filled with high calorie temptations, but you can outsmart the even most decadent buffet with these simple strategies I shared on Fox19 Cincinnati this morning. Here’s a link to the video clip.
1 – Don’t save your calories. On party day, don’t be the one saying, “I’ll just skip breakfast so I can eat more tonight.” It never really works! You end up starving and then you justify too many trips to the food line! Instead, eat well on Party Day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner or a small snack depending on what will be served at the party. Keeping the rest of the day normal will help you avoid overindulging.
2 – Look before you eat. There’s no rule against making a reconnaissance trip through the buffet line BEFORE you fill your plate! This avoids the chance you’ll end up with a plate full of your “second favorites” because you didn’t realize your favorites were there! When it’s time to fill a plate, be choosy; pick the treats you only see a few times a year and skip the “fillers.” At each dish, ask yourself, is it worth it?
3 – Build a meal, not a mountain! How many times have you watched someone return from a buffet with a plate heaped with food. Sometimes the foods don’t even go well together; it’s as though he thought he HAD to take it because it was THERE! The goal, my friends, is not to see how much you can fit on a plate – it’s to build a meal you’ll enjoy and not regret. Bear that in mind!
4 – Careful with the cocktails. By all means you can enjoy a festive beverage, but remember that they pack a one two punch – they affect your judgment AND they add empty calories. Try a glass of wine instead of a bottle or have a delightful glass of champagne or one signature cocktail. You’ll remember the evening and have plenty of energy for your never-ending December to do list the next day!
5 – Channel Scarlett O’Hara – Scarlett famously quipped ” Tomorrow is another day,” and the same goes for you. If you do overdo it, begin the next day with a cleansing breakfast – a simple smoothie or a fruit plate with a steaming mug of green tea and plenty of water – these will all help you to purge salt and rehydrate after your indulgent evening.
Here’s the recipe for the smoothie I made during the segment – it’s what I call the Back on Track Smoothie – quick and easy and a pretty shade of green. Enjoy!