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feeling and looking good despite the holidays

Parties are around the bend

The stack of party invitations piling up on the desk can be constant reminder of all the weight you will put on by the end of the merriment season. This time of the year, our favorite foods (pumpkin pie, hot chocolate, eggnog, gingerbread cookies, peppermint mocha bonbons, cinnamon buns and the list goes on and on) conspire against us. Add to the temptation of delectably sweet treats plenty of turkey, mashed potatoes and alcohol and you may kiss those Pilates-toned abs bye-bye. But, not every Christmas story needs to end in defeat symbolized by a pair of pants bursting at the seams. There are tried and true ways of managing the lure of delicious cooking and savory spirits. Here are some pointers that will help all social butterflies remain irresistibly light and relatively sober despite the holidays.

Continue to exercise regularly

Getting into the holiday spirit does not mean lighting up the fireplace, getting into a bulky sweater, snacking on chocolate truffles and quitting exercising all together. To the contrary, given the inevitability of increased caloric intake, hit the gym more frequently and for longer periods of time during the month of December. First, get the heart rate going with 20 minutes of cardio and proceed to tone by lifting weights. If you know you will be attending a party on a given night, make time for an endorphin run earlier in the day. Thus you will burn up all the calories you are bound to ingest upfront and have some guilt-free fun.

Many people think they can pull off a balancing act by substituting alcohol for food. Contrarily drinking on an empty stomach is a terrible idea. Hitting the bottle while hungry gets a person drunk at break-neck speed. In the absence of inhibition and clarity of mind one is more likely to indulge in fatty, fried, and calorie-full offerings. Buffering the tummy with a light snack like yogurt and granola will ensure that the metabolism takes longer to process liquor.

Delicious fresh berries

A meal rich in carbohydrates is instantly converted to glucose in the blood stream. Physicians like Doctor Nicholas Perricone believe all sugar and starch intake (irrespective of amount) cause sudden spikes in blood sugar levels. This jump invariably leads to glycation. The key to reducing this reaction is consuming simple carbohydrates only after eating a serving of protein. Therefore, if you are having cravings for sweets have a plateful of seasonal berries. The fibers in fruits slow down the absorption of glucose. But you absolutely must have a slice of the caramel pecan cheesecake make sure to eat the yummy goodness on a full stomach. This strategy will help bypass a sudden spike in blood sugar levels.

Skip brown liquor

Always opt for clear alcohol! A recent study by Dr. Jeff Wiese at the Tulane Health Sciences Center in New Orleans seemed to confirm the folk wisdom that brown liquor causes worse hangovers than clear liquor. Bourbon and scotch — liquor with high levels of impurities called congeners — caused worse hangovers than relatively congener-free liquor such as vodka and gin. Incidentally, clear liquors also happen to contain fewer calories than their brown counterparts. Bacardi with diet coke for example contains zero carbs and zero sugar!

Drink in moderation

This time of the year the number of DUI convictions spike just like most people’s blood sugar levels. In order to be safe and healthy, drink in moderation and never get behind the wheel inebriated. One way to burn calories after a big meal accompanied by a few glasses of wine is to walk home. The workout will kick the metabolism into high gear while the fresh air will jolt the mind into an alert state. That way all Fashionlines readers can wake up to a beautiful morning, a pot of fresh coffee and gifts under the tree, as opposed to a bad hangover in the drunk tank.