Christmas calories

20 Dec 2013 10:12 PM GMT

Months of hard work at the gym can go down the drain during Christmas. Here’s some pointers on how to feast smart.

You’ve been working hard to get into that perfect shape and after months of exercising and crazy diets, things are finally working out in your favour. But Christmas and its feasts can wipe out all of that.

We’re not against a bit of indulgence, but for those who are conscious about what they eat, here are few ways one can plan a healthier Christmas lunch.
An ideal Christmas Lunch consists of roast ham, turkey, chicken or beef, plum cakes, puddings and wine. A filling, but high-fat meal. So what do you do

Karen Campos Bhatia, nutritionist, exercise physiologist and lifestyle specialist, explains. “Christmas lunch is usually an elaborate and traditional affair. The food is rich, but over the years we have toned down the fat content as much as possible without compromising on the quality.”

She further adds, “I usually have an array of fresh organic salads. I also substitute butter and fat with olive oil with a little butter just for flavour.” Karen says that one can substitute pork sausage in the stuffing with chicken sausage. One can use small birds that are succulent and not fatty.

While Karen advises on the main course, holistic nutritionist Sridevi Jasti helps with the desserts, “Cookies and cakes can be made healthy without white sugar and white flour”, she says adding, “You can alternately use natural and healthy ingredients like coconut sugar, palm sugar or brown sugar with coconut milk or nut milk and agar agar (natural seaweed) instead of gelling and emulsifying agents for the puddings.”

While there is no harm in letting go for one meal, it always helps to count the calories.

Red wine