I love Christmas dinner!

I was talking again with Nutritional Therapist Caren Richards yesterday about Christmas and how much I love Christmas dinner. Yes, it's one of my favourite parts of Christmas day! As usual, Caren had some great nutritional knowledge bombs which I just had to share with you:

The Christmas party season is well under way and for some people the combination of excess calories and less activity can lead to an increase in body weight.  So here are a few tips on how to enjoy the festive season, minimise weight gain and stay healthy!

Firstly don’t give up before you have started, if you have had a tendency to put on a few pounds over Christmas try not to think ‘well I may as well eat as much as I want to as I am going to gain weight anyway’!

Delicious food is a major part of everyone’s festive celebrations but moderation is the key. Try not to pile your plate full with calorific foods as you will probably feel bloated and uncomfortable afterwards. Don’t deny yourself a few treats but eat them in smaller amounts.

In many cases, it is not just more calories but more of the wrong types of food at the wrong time in the wrong combinations that exacerbates the problem of weight gain. So watch your sugar intake (as always!), foods with a high glycaemic load will cause fluctuations in your blood sugar which may make you hungry for more food a short time later.

If you are going to eat them have your ‘sweet treats’ after a meal that contains protein, this will help reduce your insulin response and help to control your blood sugar.

Re-arrange your plate, simply opting for more vegetables and turkey and fewer potatoes can significantly alter your calorie intake and increase the nutrient content of your meal too.

Make sure you make a conscious decision every time you choose to put food into your mouth; don’t eat simply because you are surrounded by food.

And remember some traditional Christmas fare is actually packed full of nutrients and by eating more of these healthy Christmas foods in the right combinations we can actually improve our health and minimise weight gain.

For more information on healthy eating or any nutritional topics, contact Caren via her website or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.