People love to take foods that they usually can’t take due to their busy schedule and health concerns; holidays are the perfect time to pamper taste buds. Holiday is the time for celebration that often involves foods high in sugar, fat and calories, and unfortunately low in nutrition. However, with a few small changes you can make the foods nutritious and delicious as well.
Here are some tips to make a healthy holiday diet plan.
- Meat dishes – Choose lean meat for the holiday gatherings. For example, you can choose turkey or chicken. White meats are always leaner than the dark ones. So it will be better if you choose breast portions instead of legs of chicken and turkey. Then you need to remove the skin in order to trim the fat off. Broiled, baked and stewed preparations of the meat will be better instead of fried and cooked ones. If you serve gravy, soup or stew, then remove the hardened oil from the top before serving. Don’t miss to drain excess oil off the meats after cooking. Use vegetable cooking sprays to avoid sticking of the foods.
- Fish dishes – Fish dishes can be wonderful choice for any get together. Fish like salmon and tuna are rich in Omega 3 fatty acid which is very good for cardiac health.
- Veg dishes – Vegetables are very low in fat. The fat content depends on what you add to cook the vegetable. It would be better if you avoid adding butter, ghee or creamy sauce. Many of you have a notion that potato is not a healthy vegetable. But you must know that the vegetable contains no fat and are very low in fat. They are good sources of vitamin B, vitamin C and potassium. The skin of it is especially very nutritious and rich in fiber that helps to lower blood cholesterol level and reduces chance of colon cancer. But while mashing, instead of using cream or butter, you can whip it with skimmed milk, yogurt or fat-free sour cream. You must add 2 to 3 veg dishes prepared with little oil in the menu. You can use microwave as it allows cooking with little fat. Colorful vegetables like carrot, broccoli, and sweet potatoes not only enhance the look of the dish but also increase its nutritious values. Such vegetables are rich in antioxidants like vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E. Vegetable salad is a good addition to the holiday meal. To preserve the flavor and nutrition of the vegetables, steam them in little water or use steaming rack.
- Dairy products – If you love milk products and want to add them in preparing the meal, make sure you use skimmed milk or fat-free dairy products. For example, you can use margarine instead of butter or light cream cheese rather than normal cheese. Avoid using mayonnaise, ghee, spread etc.
Irrespective of your holiday meal planning, don’t forget to maintain your regular exercise regimen. Even if you’re going for a vacation, carry portable commercial exercise equipmentand make use of so that nothing can sabotage your weight loss plan.
Author’Bio :
Peter Smith is a fitness buff and a personal trainer. He recommends his customers to emphasize on diet and using commercial exercise equipment regularly.