Useful advice for everyone: pay attention to portions, move after the meal, choice of dish, cooking methods, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (contain sugars)
Christmas Eve dinners and Christmas and New Year's lunches are an opportunity to share moments of conviviality and sociality in company of loved ones. But in front of tables laden with many traditional Christmas dishes how to go about enjoy delicacies while avoiding excesses that risk leaving their mark on the scale or, even worse, on your health?
«The first piece of advice, in general, is don't overdo the portions eriduce the amount of food in order to taste and enjoy all the typical traditional dishes» suggests the president of the Italian Society of Internal Medicine (SIMI) Giorgio Sesti, full professor of Internal Medicine at the La Sapienza University of Rome.
Some “tricks”: the right dish
Sesti continues: «A few small “tricks” that are used can help us limit excesses behavioral therapies for people who need to lose a lot of weight, for example do not use a large plate where small amounts of food would make it look half empty but, rather, use a smaller plate filled with reduced portions: «deceiving» the eye (and the brain), in fact, there helps psychologically to see your plate full and not to overdo it.”
Cooking methods, which one should you prefer?
Further suggestions? «It is important to pay attention to cooking method which is an aspect that is often overlooked – points out President Simi –. We know that in the Italian Christmas tradition, especially in some regions, they are used a lot friesbut they are not healthy both from the point of view ofcalorie intake both for the use of fatty substances (oil or, worse, butter). Every now and again we can treat yourself to a fry-up but most of all on days when dishes aboundone healthy alternative and the cooking food by steaming, baking or grilling (provided you don't use charcoal and don't let the food burn to avoid the production of carcinogenic substances), also because it's more digestible, especially if it's cooked in the oven or steamed.”
Move after the meal
Another good rule is to do a little movement after the mealeven more so if it was abundant.
«The Salerno medical school already recommended moving after eating – recalls Professor Sesti -. Rather than lying on the sofa or bedyou can go for a walk or do any physical activity not that demanding helps digest and burn off some calories. It is always valid advice all year round, even more so at Christmas and New Year.”
Alcohol and drinks
It should be remembered, then, that the alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks contain sugars
. To limit calories, is it advisable to drink only water during meals? “A good glass of red wine in a balanced diet is healthy, and therefore permitted – says the expert –. Also in this case Not must exaggerate with quantity; those with liver problems must avoid drinking even a single glass of wine.”
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December 20, 2023 (changed December 20, 2023 | 07:32)
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