Holiday Body Blitz (Part 4 Holiday Parties)

We all live in both anticipation and fear of the holidays. Grandmas and Nanas and Nonas and

Great Aunts who can all whip up the best traditional feasts and pinch your cheeks as you eat it.

Unfortunately, you know that their secret ingredients are a 50/50 mix of love and lard. And if
it’s your turn to host this year, you can’t be the person who doesn’t have a full fridge, gallons of
eggnog, and at least a pound of turkey for each of your uncles and cousins. So how do we get
through the holidays without ruining all the work we did the rest of the year?

- Bring Your Own: At any type of party, bring a dish! Most parties I’ve been to are seriously
lacking in salads, fresh veggies, and fruits, so it doesn’t hurt to add some low calorie fare
to the high calorie indulgent foods. Nobody has to know your spinach dip is low calorie.

- Send them Home: If you are hosting the party, a very important action is to send your
guests home with food…don’t even ask; pack it for them and send them home with it.
That way you’re not left with tempting leftovers during the “hangover” period. If you’re
hosting a potluck, do some organized planning ahead of time. If 15 people are coming
over, you don’t need 15 dishes (especially because you know this ends up being at least
five plates of cookies and brownies). Once you have a couple appetizers, a couple side
dishes, and a dessert accounted for, just tell the rest of the people they can bring soft
drinks, plates, napkins, etc.

- Clear the Table: If you’re hosting, serve the meal in courses, clear the table and pack up
the leftovers immediately once everyone’s kind of “done eating” that course. If the
turkey, salad, potatoes, and desserts are all sitting there for three hours, you’re going to
have three servings. The longer it’s in front of you, the more of it you’ll eat.

- Go The Distance: Don’t sit within arm’s reach of the cheese plate. If you have to
stand up, put your drink down, and lean over Aunt Mary to get to them, you’re not
going to have as many.

- Cleaning Crew: Offer to help clean up when dishes need clearing during the meal or
afterwards. If you can spend some time in the sink and suds instead of in front of
whatever’s on the table, not only will you be your mom’s favorite for helping clean up,
you’ll eat a little less.