If you’ve made it through the festive season without putting weight on, you don’t want to undo your hard work by going crazy at New Year parties instead. Any extra pounds you put on at this time of year can be very difficult to shift and could take months to lose.
If that doesn’t align with your New Years goals, then taking some steps to make sure that you don’t put on weight in the first place will be helpful.
Here’s how to ring in the New Year and have fun, without overindulging.
Have an Action Plan
Before you even get to a New Year party, have a plan in your mind about what you’ll eat and drink. You may even decide to forgo alcohol altogether, especially once you realize the calorie count in some alcoholic drinks. Regardless of whether you drink alcohol or not, think about how much food and drink you’ll consume and keep this plan in mind as the party progresses.
If you’re worried about sticking to your plans, fill up on healthy, protein rich food beforehand so you’re less tempted to snack. A handful of nuts can help to fill you up, for example.
And don’t turn up to the party hungry. It’s a surefire way to blow your good intentions out of the water.
Be selective with accepting invitations
If you know that alcohol is going to be the main part of an event and you don’t want to drink much (or any) alcohol, you might want to think twice about accepting an invitation. It can be a lot harder to stick to your guns when you’re not drinking alcohol, although there is often the option to swap alcoholic drinks for non-alcoholic versions and still get involved in the party atmosphere. If you can see potential for going easy on the alcohol and still being part of the event, go ahead and accept the invitation.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Party season can be a lot of fun and that can mean that you skimp on sleep. This can be a bad move as far as your weight is concerned as sleep and appetite are strongly linked.
Lack of sleep often leads to snacking and overeating in general but it also has to do with an imbalance of hormones - specifically ghrelin and leptin. When you don’t get enough sleep, ghrelin levels go up and leptin levels go down. The combined effect of this stimulates your appetite.
The bottom line? Get plenty of sleep over the holidays season and you’re less likely to overindulge in unhealthy party food, especially if you don’t turn up hungry. It’s a lot easier to make healthy food choices when you’ve had a good night’s sleep.
Focus on the Party
Instead of keeping half an eye on the food and drinks that are on offer, put your focus on the party itself, especially the social side of things. Being present in the moment and focusing your attention on the other guests. Get involved in conversations and really listen to what’s being said. You might be surprised how little you think of the buffet table or party food in general when your attention is elsewhere.
Be Savvy with Drinks
If you’re trying to avoid putting on weight this holiday season, it’s a good idea to limit how much alcohol you drink. Liquid calories from alcohol (and mixers such as soda) can mean that you consume far more calories than you intended and it’s not great for your health either. A lot of people find themselves drinking more at this time of year than any other, with the intention of balancing things out with a detox January. The holidays can be a difficult time to start a more mindful approach to alcohol but there are still lots of ways to enjoy yourself with little or no alcohol involved. Your waistline and your health will thank you!
What you choose to drink at a New Year party can be super important for avoiding weight gain. A lot of party drinks are full of empty calories. If you’re drinking cocktails, be aware that anything with cream or syrup-based juices will add to the calorie count quite a bit.
Here’s an idea of how some popular festive drinks stack up against each other:
6 ounces of peppermint mojito - 180 calories
3 ounces of martini - 119 calories
5 ounces of champagne - 122 calories
Cosmopolitan - 100 calories
Gin and tonic - 148 calories
Vodka soda - 96 calories
Eggnog - potentially around 225 calories
5 ounce glass of wine - Around 125 calories
3.5 ounce glass of dessert wine - Around 165 calories
Half a bottle of red wine - 250 calories
Hot buttered rum - 480 calories
White Russian - 355 calories
Spiced cider with rum (one cup) - 150 calories
Mulled wine - 125 calories
Other drink tips:
Adding soda to make it last longer and cut some of the calories. For example, a vodka tonic can contain 175 calories but swapping this for a vodka, soda and lime cuts this down to just over 100 calories. No one will know the difference!
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water in between drinks to stay hydrated and pace yourself. It’s also an easy way to cut down the calorie intake from your drinks.
Don’t forget about nonalcoholic drinks too. Seasonal offerings from Starbucks can be full of fat and sugar and nonalcoholic versions of eggnog can still pack a good punch calorie wise.
Know why you’re doing it
What’s your main reason for eating healthy, cutting back on alcohol or getting some rest during the holidays? Maybe you want to get healthier or lose weight. Or maybe you don’t enjoy the after effects if you’ve over indulged. Whatever the reason, write it down and pin it somewhere obvious.
It’s also helpful to think about why you tend to reach for alcohol in the first place. Is it a confidence booster? Do you feel better about yourself when you start drinking? Or do you feel obliged to drink because your social circle does? This can help you to work out whether you’re drinking alcohol because you really enjoy it or because there’s something deeper going on that you need to address.
Stick to true holiday pleasures and avoid the rest
Love a bit of mulled wine over the holidays? Treat yourself to the odd glass and ditch everything else alcoholic. Do you look forward to a favorite dessert that you only eat over the holidays? You can look forward to these little pleasures much more and really savor it. Chances are, the rest of the alcohol you’d normally drink, or all the holiday baking that surrounds you isn’t such a lovely treat and may even just be a habit.
Visualize yourself having fun without alcohol
It can be hard to imagine yourself having fun without alcohol if you’ve previously used it to boost your confidence to help you to relax. One tip that can work well involves visualization. More specifically, you can visualize yourself effortlessly enjoying holiday events without any alcohol at all. Visualization can be a powerful mental tool - so much so that elite athletes use it prepare for sporting events. If you can “see” yourself having a great time without alcohol, it’s much easier for this to happen in reality.
Get like-minded friends on board
Holiday events can be super hard if you’re the only one not drinking, or if everyone is bringing home baked goodies- but it’s a whole different ball game if you have supportive friends on board to get you through. Depending on why you’ve decided to ditch alcohol, you might be surprised how easy it is to encourage your friends to join you in your efforts. Plus, it’s so much more fun when you’re not the only teetotaler as everyone will be focused on having fun without alcohol.
Keep a drink in hand
Keeping a non-alcoholic drink in your hand at holiday events can stop any well intentioned offers of an alcoholic drink. If you have a drink already, there’s far less chance that you’ll end up caving due to peer pressure. If you’re still offered an alcoholic drink, just say “I’m good, thanks!” and move on. There’s no need to explain why you’re not indulging in another drink or a top up. This can work well in situations where you don’t want to make a big deal about not drinking but you don’t want to feel obliged to drink either.
Commit yourself to being truly present at events
If you’d normally drink for social reasons, get into the habit of not hiding behind alcohol and really committing yourself to being part of the event. This can be super hard if you’re not used to showing your real self and you know there will be strangers at the event. But if you’re just catching up with friends or family, give alcohol a miss. You’ll probably find that you enjoy yourself a lot more than you think.
As we approach the end of this year and get ready for the upcoming new year, let's remember that the choices we make during celebrations can set the tone for the months ahead. By ringing in the new year with balance and mindful drinking, we can welcome a healthier and happier version of ourselves for the year ahead.
It's not about deprivation but rather about making conscious decisions that align with our well-being goals. With these strategies, we can enjoy the festivities, savor the moments, and embark on the journey of 2024 feeling our best. Here's to a year filled with good health, joy, and all the wonderful experiences that await.
Happy New Year!
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