Chinese New Year is fast approaching,it’s the time for reunion and to celebrate again.How can we avoid putting on extra weight while having a great time? The following are some holiday eating tips so that you can still look good and be healthy in January without having to deprive yourself of all the festive treats.

Don’t go an open house hungry:

An open house( rumah terbuka ) is a Malaysian concept whereby people celebrating various holidays will invite friends to drop by for festive snacks and fellowship. We often eat facter and more when we are huagry,therefore eat a wholesome breakfast on the day or something healthy before you go to avoid over eating at the house visiting.

Watch your portion:

Too much deprivation can make us sabotage ourselves.Treat yourself a nice drink,dessert,watermelon seed “kuaci” or festive snacks without guilt,but always watch your portion. Go for small portions as a taste of something scrumptious can prevent an all out binge. This way you can sample all the different foods. Remember “moderation” is always the key.

Make a conscious choice to limit processed food:

Think about Chinese sausage,Niao Gao(Chinese rice cake),”Yu Sang”(a special dish in Malaysia Chinese community), Bacon Bak Kua(dried meat) and all other food that complete your Chinese New Year craves. These festive foods are mostly processed and artificial. Make sure you limit the intake and eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables to balance your diet during holidays.

Choose the right drink:

Drink plenty of water.Alcoholic,high sugar and high caffeine beverage can dehydrate your body and bring you extra calories. Most of the beverages like soft drink and concentrated fruit juice come only with very low nutrition value,if there is any.

Stay physical active:

Take nice brisk walks with your loved ones and enjoy their company in the holiday season. Be a volunteer in the pre-new year house cleaning and orginize some outdoor activities for all to enjoy the fellowship.

Don’t let all your celebrations be food oriented,focus more on fun,not just food. Make right choices fo yourself and your family this Chinese New Year and a happy and guilt free holiday by eating healthy.