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44 maltatoday, CHRISTMAS SUNDAY, 1 DECEMBER 2013 Keeping those Christmas calories under control If you're trying to lose weight, or just want to preserve your waistline, here are our tips to help you not to pile on the pounds this festive season. Christmas dinnerChristmas comes but once a year. And there's a good reason for that. Any longer period of over-consumption of turkey, chocolate and relatives would bring the nation to a shuddering halt. Luckily, there's plenty of ways to ensure that the only plump, red-faced types in your house over the festive season are Mr and Mrs Claus. Before the big day Unfortunately for our waistlines, the festive period these days begins around Easter. OK, that's a slight exaggeration. But according to the British Nutrition Foundation, eating just an extra 500 calories a day will result in a gain of five pounds (two kg) in the four-week Christmas period. That's a glass of wine, a sausage roll and a bag of crisps every day for a month. Overindulging on Christmas Day and Boxing Day won't necessarily make you put on weight. People who are in 'energy balance' – who aren't in the process of gaining or losing weight – can get away with overeating for a couple of days as long as they compensate for it. It is the sustained consumption in the runup to Christmas that makes you put on weight. Tips for a healthier Christmas: • tudies show that the more food on offer, the more calories we consume. When faced with that enormous buffet, choose a couple of dishes rather than piling a plate high. • at before partying ave a high-energy snack like a bowl of yoghurt or cereal – it'll lower the risk of frantic crisp scoffing just to line your stomach before that half-bottle of Pinot. • Compensate for those e tra calories. Go ahead and indulge an enormous meal in the afternoon but balance that with a light evening meal and a light lunch the next day. • on t drink too much Al ternate between booze and soft drinks. If you want to indulge, stick to low-calorie drinks like wine (87 calories per glass) or Champagne (89 calories per glass). Creamy, sweet liqueurs are packed with calories and fat. Alcohol also stimulates the appetite and weakens the resolve – it's all too easy to say yes to that second slice of pudding after your fourth glass of Chardonnay. •Christmasfooddoesn thave to be calorie-heavy. Replacing double cream with Greek yoghurt saves around 200 calories aveturkeywithoutskin that's where most of the fat ends up – or make bread sauce with skimmed rather than whole milk. • on t get started too early Remaining reasonably well behaved throughout the office party season and the neigh- bours' get-together, buys you a licence to pig out on the 25th. oeat,drinkandbemerry for when New Year comes, we diet. 'Tis the season to be merry, but what about stress? TMA is typically one of the most stressful events of the year. The expense of buying gifts, the pressure of last minute shopping and the heightened expectations of family togetherness can all combine to undermine our best intentions ome practical suggestions can help you reduce your 'Christmas stress'. C Budgeting for Christmas For many of us, the Christmas aftermath includes massive credit card bills that can take months to clear. Christmas doesn't have to be a financial headache if you plan ahead tress reduction strategies include: •Asearlyasyoucaninthe ew Year, work out a rough budget of expected Christmas costs. Don't forget 'hidden' expenses such as food bills and overseas telephone charges. • Calculate how much dispos able income you have between now and Christmas. A certain percentage of this can be dedicated each week (or fortnight or month) to covering your expected Christmas costs. Don't be discouraged if the amount seems small. If you save a bit per week over a year, it can provide you with a hefty nest egg. • f your nest egg isn't enough to cover your estimated expenses, perhaps you may need to refigure your Christmas budget to a more realistic amount. Presents If you have a large circle of extended family or friends to buy gifts for, it can be very costly. You might be able to reduce the stress and cost of Christmas for everyone if you suggest a change in the way your family and friends give presents. For example, you could suggest that your group: Christmas lunch (or dinner) stress reduction strategies arrange for a 'buffet' lunch, where everybody brings a platter. • uy as many non perish able food items as you can in advance – supermarkets on Christmas Eve are generally extremely busy. • ou may need to order particular food items (such as turkeys) from your supermarket by a certain date. Check to avoid disappointment. • Consider doing your food shopping online. The store will deliver your groceries to your door. (Keep in mind this option is more expensive than visiting the supermarket yourself). • ook well in advance if you plan to have lunch at a restaurant ome restaurants may be fully booked for months before Christmas, so don't wait till the last minute. • f you are cooking lunch at home, delegate tasks. You don't need to do everything yourself. • Consider keeping it simple for instance, you could always Relationships tress, an iety and depression are common during the festive season. If nothing else, reassure yourself that these feelings are • uypresentsonlyforthechil dren. • ave a ecret anta, where everyone draws a name out of a hat and buys a present only for that person. • et a limit on the cost of presents. normal tress reduction strate gies include: • on t e pect miracles f you and certain family members bicker all year long, you can be sure there'll be tension at Christmas lunch. • Avoid known triggers For example, if politics is a touchy subject in your family, don't talk about it. If someone brings up the topic, use distraction and quickly move onto something else to talk about. • se rela ation techni ues, such as deep breathing or focusing on your breath, to cope with anxiety or tension. • Family members involved in after-lunch activities (such as cricket on the back lawn) are less likely to get into arguments. Plan for something to do as a group after lunch if necessary. • eople under stress tend to 'self-medicate' with alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. Try to remember that drugs can't solve problems or alleviate stress in the long term.