Avoid the Christmas Party Buffet Blow Out!
It’s another Christmas party & time to tackle the buffet which is covered in delectable & delicious treats which might be great for the taste buds but not so good for our bods. Here’s 6 ways to avoid buffet table blow out!
1. Plan ahead
Ok so it’s awesome for the boss to put on a freebie dinner but try not to think of it as an all you can eat restaurant! Eat a healthy nutritious snack BEFORE the party. Have a banana, grab some sushi or whizz up a protein smoothie. That way you will be fuller when you arrive & won’t be tempted to pig out when the pastries come by (BTW: pastries are high in saturated fats so try to avoid where possible)
2. Drink water
A sign of being dehydrated is hunger so make sure you drink a glass of water when you first arrive. If you are drinking alcohol alternate one drink with one glass of water to stay hydrated & avoid being the office party catastrophe. Better yet, swap your alcoholic drinks for sparkling water with ice & lemon. It looks just like a G & T but without the hangover.
3. Fill up on protein
Protein fills you much quicker than carbohydrates & promote feelings of fullness & satiation. Choose foods which are naturally high in protein such as chicken skewers, hummus, sashimi or nuts. Avoid highly refined carbohydrates such as chips, bread sticks & flavoured crackers which will just spike your blood sugar levels & leave you wanting more Pizza Shapes.
4. Avoid sugary snacks
We all know how bad excessive sugar is for our liver & metabolism (never mind our waist line). Eating loads of sugary lollies, cakes & biscuits from the buffet will release dopamine & opioids in your body & activate the food reward centres in your brain encouraging you to crave more sugar. Avoid death by sugar & stick to savoury snacks. Look for crackers, nuts (roasted or raw & not smothered in salt), olives & pretzels. Head for the fruit platter if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.
5. Chomp on a crudités
Don’t we love a buffet with plenty of capsicum, carrot & celery sticks! Tuck into these beauties & if you must dip look for tomato based salsa or a healthy yoghurt tzatziki. And remember no double dipping!
6. Be the life of the party
Mingle at full speed ahead! Getting distracted by conversations & getting to know work colleagues will help to distract you from the food. Make sure you don’t strike up a conversation next to the buffet though – this spells disaster. And dance up a storm when the DJ comes on! Not only will you be avoiding the buffet & bar but will burn calories too