How to forage at the holiday party

• Thursday, December 23rd, 2010
• by neil

Holiday Bodyweight Challenge Day 39!

'Tis the season for holiday festivities!  For those of us trying to keep some sense of loyalty to our commitment to our health and fitness goals, some restraint and/or common sense need be applied when attending holiday gatherings. A great strategy for the holiday party season is:

• Eat some good, nutritional food before you leave your house to avoid being overly hungry when you arrive. And yes, we mean PALEO food.
• Circle the buffet at the party and choose wisely. Here are some suggestions:
  • Eat some meat first...animal protein will satiate you quickly and not wreck your stomach and hormones. Look for the 'cleanest' option...just meat, no sauce, no breading.  Bacon wrapped scallops - check.  Ham - check.  Meatballs - maybe, maybe not, depending on the recipe and sauce. 
  • Raw or simply prepared veggies are almost always available on the spread and are actually good for you...load up on these.
  • Guacamole - check.  Sans chips - use the veggies above to scoop. 
  • Fruit is almost always on the menu...some berries or melon will give you some sweetness without nearly as significant of a metabolic aftermath as refined sugars will create.
  • Avoid processed foods completely - this includes breads, dips, pastries, cookies...try to imagine where the ingredients came from...if you can't imagine it - don't eat it!
  • If you drink, think wine - red or dry white.  Avoid sweet mixers with your cocktails...a glass of premium spirits on the rocks will taste good, provide minimal consequence in comparison and take longer to drink than a glass of sugar or HFCS laden holiday hooch...after a glass or two of something clean, you will be having a great time and minimizing the potential damage to your system...

Happy Holidays!