Pick your battles FEATURE

Pick your battles FEATURE It’s neither fair nor feasible to maintain a strict diet all the way through the party season. Choose two or three occasions when you will allow yourself to indulge and then revert back to healthy eating for the remainder of the summer. For example, sticking to a salad and a mineral water at the office Christmas lunch might do more to damage your relationship with colleagues than a blow-out would to your waistline. No one likes a party pooper. Christmas calorie catastrophes The old-fashioned Christmas feast with roast turkey, hot vegetables and Yorkshire pudding, all smothered with lashings of bread sauce and rich gravy is a delightful idea for those dining in the chilly Northern Hemisphere. However, for those celebrating in the sunshine of an Australian summer, it just doesn’t make much sense. Follow the lead of clever Aussie families by abandoning hot and heavy Christmas lunches in favour of a summery selection of seafood and salad. In terms of calorie counting, a light lunch of lobster, prawns and salad doesn’t even compare with the old-fashioned Christmas fare. Make sure you have some treats for guests who aren’t worried about their weight. A cheese board is a great idea, as it can be left out from the time guests arrive until the end of the day. As a guide, include a good cheddar, a creamy Brie, a mild blue vein and perhaps a hunk of something strongly flavoured. Accompany that with some sliced pear, dried fruits, quince paste and a selection of crackers. For dessert, put out platters of seasonal summer fruits such as strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar, sliced melon, mango, kiwifruit, pineapple and paw paw and big bowls of cold grapes in different colours. Set out a couple of dipping bowls of King Island Creme Fraiche for a bit of extra indulgence. If you’re hosting the festivities, get rid of the leftovers when your guests depart. Often it isn’t Christmas Day that adds the extra kilos; it’s the week that follows of grazing endlessly on all the goodies left in the fridge.

Liquid calories A huge health trap to watch out for during the holiday season is alcohol consumption. Even if you watch what you eat and sometimes even skip meals as the year winds up to warp speed, all the celebratory drinks will add up and eventually take their toll on your weight and your health. Alcohol is loaded with calories in the form of carbohydrates. One 200ml glass of white wine contains around 135 calories – that’s the same calorie count as a bowl of Coco Pops. Stick to one glass of your chosen tipple at any party (aside from the few you’ve chosen as your ‘blow-out’ events) and opt for low-calorie drinks where possible. Choose a diet mixer rather than the full sugar version and light beer instead of full strength. Avoid drinking sparkling wine on an empty stomach, as the bubbles encourage the stomach to absorb the alcohol more quickly. www.cosbeauty.com.au 83