[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/guilt-free-feasting-this-holiday-season\/#NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/guilt-free-feasting-this-holiday-season\/","headline":"Guilt-free Feasting this Holiday Season","name":"Guilt-free Feasting this Holiday Season","description":"Fill Me In Ah, Christmas. The season of joy, gifting, and most importantly, feasting. It\u2019s the last month of the year and it seems, also the last of our determination to stay true to our New Year\u2019s resolutions of \u201cgetting fit\u201d. Christmas indulgence doesn\u2019t have to be unhealthy though. It\u2019s natural to want to let […]","datePublished":"2020-12-24","dateModified":"2021-03-16","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/#Person","name":"Ming En Liew","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/author\/Ming%20En%20Liew\/","identifier":132,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8fe7a89455a989038349633329a6e4ad6299388f5e1e3ea83c28126090b2314f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"TheHomeGround Asia","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/photo_2021-07-22-222533.jpeg","width":640,"height":640}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1608792005998_Copy_of_Copy_of_Untitled_28129.png","url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/wp-content\/uploads\/1608792005998_Copy_of_Copy_of_Untitled_28129.png","height":838,"width":1600},"url":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/guilt-free-feasting-this-holiday-season\/","about":["Asia","Food","Local","Singapore"],"wordCount":774,"articleBody":"Fill Me InAh, Christmas. The season of joy, gifting, and most importantly, feasting. It\u2019s the last month of the year and it seems, also the last of our determination to stay true to our New Year\u2019s resolutions of \u201cgetting fit\u201d.Christmas indulgence doesn\u2019t have to be unhealthy though. It\u2019s natural to want to let loose a little during the year-end festivities, but you can still do it in a calibrated manner so as to not throw a huge spanner in the works!\u00a0We checked in with dietician and coach, Kong Pun Pun, from HealthifyMe as she shares some wise words of wisdom for how to still maintain a healthy diet during the Christmas holidays!\u00a0Dieting during a Christmas feastIf you\u2019re looking to lose weight, there\u2019s just one simple rule \u2014 incurring a caloric deficit. Unfortunately, Christmas dinners don\u2019t tend to skim on the calories, but you can still enjoy the feast without compromising your diet if you practice good portion control!\u00a0To help you out, Pun Pun has graciously helped to compile a list of commonly eaten Christmas foods and the recommended portion size you should have to keep your diets on track. This way, you can still enjoy all the variety that Christmas has to offer without piling on the calories \u2014 a win-win!\u00a0Kong Pun Pun\/HealthifyMeEating healthy during ChristmasAs much as we love eating our fill during Christmas, we\u2019re sure that none of us particularly enjoy the bloating sensation after a hearty Christmas meal. Thus, we sought Pun Pun\u2019s advice on how you can best enjoy your meals without feeling stuffed to the brim after!\u00a0Portion control is keyTo do so, Pun Pun suggests using a plate to portion out your food consumption. For instance, laying out your roasted turkey (proteins), vegetables (fibres) and mashed potatoes (carbohydrates) on a plate before consumption will help you eyeball the portions to ensure you\u2019re not eating too much at a time.\u00a0To determine the appropriate serving size of each food item, do read the labels and recommended servings usually included in recipes or food labels!\u00a0Do also minimise distractions during meals and chew slowly as this allows your brain time to signal when you\u2019ve had enough food, thus preventing overeating.\u00a0Don\u2019t skip mealsA common myth is that skipping meals ahead of a big Christmas feast will allow you to reduce the number of calories consumed. However, skipping meals can actually be counterproductive! Overloading your stomach after going hungry for a full day is not recommended. Skipping meals signals for your body to go into starvation mode, which depresses your metabolism and increases fat storage, making dieting less effective.\u00a0It may also result in an increased propensity for binge eating later in the day, which would defeat the intention to reduce calorie intake to begin with.Modify your Christmas mealMeal modifications are an easy way to make festive foods healthier for a guilt-free Christmas. For instance, swap out butter for oil in your cookie recipe to reduce the saturated fat content in it. Reducing the amount of sugar and salt in different food items is also highly recommended.\u00a0For dessert, opt for fruits instead of jellies or candy to still satiate your sweet tooth while taking in an assortment of nutrients and vitamins!\u00a0Have a balanced mealAs tempting as it is, avoid overloading on carbohydrates like rice, potatoes, and pasta. Instead, try to consume more fibres and proteins which will make you feel full without adding on too many calories.\u00a0Drink in moderationChristmas is all about having a good time, but there\u2019s no point in having a great time if you\u2019re not going to remember any of it the next day.\u00a0Keep track of how much alcohol you\u2019re drinking and try to avoid mixing different types of spirits to avoid getting drunk. To pace yourself, Pun Pun suggests having a glass of water in between every alcoholic drink to stay hydrated.\u00a0Go forth and be merryKeep these tips in mind to have a jolly Christmas dinner this festive season while staying on track of your fitness goals.From the team here at TheHomeGround Asia, have a Merry Christmas!Special thanksSpecial thanks to Kong Pun Pun for her contributions to this article. Pun Pun is a dietician and coach from HealthifyMe. She guides and advises clients on weight loss, addressing their medical concerns and providing diet recommendations to cater to their health and lifestyle needs. Join the conversations on THG’s\u00a0Facebook\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram, and get the latest updates via\u00a0Telegram."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Destinations","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Singapore","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/\/singapore\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Guilt-free Feasting this Holiday Season","item":"https:\/\/thehomeground.asia\/destinations\/singapore\/guilt-free-feasting-this-holiday-season\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]