BDA Press Centre
11 December 2009
Party tricks to help you sparkle
With the Christmas party season underway and sequins the big trend, you may well be wondering how you are going to balance the season’s temptations with getting into that stunning, sparkly outfit. Well, with the help from the British Dietetic Association you can!
There are a few tips that can help you enjoy this festive period, give you a great, healthy body shape and give you the get up and go that gets you through the day, while taking care of the nutrients your body needs to stay in optimum condition.
Here are some jewels that will help you to get through the festive party season feeling slick and chic:
- Eat before you go to the party. It might sound mad, but it will prevent you from arriving there ravenous, ready to attack the buffet table. Choose something healthy before you leave home – anything from a banana to peanut butter on toast.
- If going by car, park the car further away (so long as it’s safe to do so, of course!). Walking to the party will not only help you to burn up some energy, it also gets your blood circulating so that you can be even more alert and energised to enjoy the evening ahead.
- Talk more, eat less.
Enjoy conversation, meet new people. You might be amazed at some of the party conversations you get into. Chatting more means you’re likely to focus more on having fun and less on the buffet table and it’s rude to talk with your mouth full! - Pace yourself when it comes to alcohol. The more you drink, the less likely you are to keep your resolve to eat sensibly. Try to alternate alcohol with water or unsweetened fruit juice, but remember to avoid sugary soft drinks. Beware constant topping up of your glass by waiting staff or your host. Many people forget drinks have calories too.
- Buffet food is often fried, but there are plenty of healthy alternatives. Go for skinless chicken dipped in sweet and sour sauce, rather than a drum stick dipped in sour cream.
- Drink lots of water. What’s stopping you filling your wine glass up with sparkling water?
- Dance more, sit less. The more energy you use up, the more fat gets burned and the shapelier you will begin to look.
Azmina Govindji, dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association, said: “The month before Christmas often means party, party, party! Of course that’s great fun, but there's always a flip side and that’s usually an over indulgence of both food and alcohol. So the outfits you bought at the beginning of the party season may be a bit of a tight squeeze by New Year’s Eve.
"It is possible to lose that little bit of weight before and even during the party season without being a party kill joy. And trying out the easy tips above means you'll be able to enjoy Christmas and all its delights without feeling guilty."
Media enquiries to The British Dietetic Association should be directed to our media hotline on 0870 580 2517 or pr@bda.uk.com
Ends
Notes to Editors
- The British Dietetic Association, founded in 1936, is the professional association for registered dietitians in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the nation’s largest organisation of food and nutrition professionals with over 6,500 members. About two-thirds of members are employed in the National Health Service. The remaining members work in education, industry, research, sport settings or freelance.
- Registered dietitians hold the only legally-recognisable graduate qualification in nutrition and dietetics. They are experts in interpreting and translating the science of nutrition into practical ways of promoting nutritional well-being, disease treatment and the prevention of nutrition-related problems. Their advice is sound and based on current scientific evidence.
- Registration, awarded by the Health Professionals Council, is an indication that a dietitian is fit to practise and is working within an agreed statement of conduct.