Fighting those high-calorie cravings after a big night? Here's how to avoid devouring junk food when you’re tanked and starving in the wee hours.
In an effort to look svelte on a night out, a lot of girls skip dinner. Cue booze-madness, as the grog gremlins go straight to the brain. Suddenly, greasy burgers with chips start looking comparable to a climactic sexual experience – and, for less than $10, what kind of pleasure-deprived saint could resist? An over-enthusiastic Cookie Monster impersonation in a fast food joint inevitably follows.
Then comes the morning after: the bashing-hammer hangover, the inability to fit into your pants. A quick CLEO office poll revealed we’d all been there, so we decided to get some professional advice on how to have a big night out, minus the bloated belly.
Laura Sutherland, accredited practising dietitian, points out that humans are designed to sleep during the early hours of the morning, not drunkenly dance on tables – so you’re confusing your body’s energy expenditure pattern by hitting the town till dawn. Busting moves burns energy, so your body will want to refuel, especially if you didn’t have dinner. Add to this the fact that alcohol is an appetite stimulant, and now you know why you want to eat everything in 7-Eleven.
Light bites
Keep your inner food monster at bay with these night-out snacking tips from Sutherland:
* Eat a good dinner before you go partying. Make sure your plate contains vegies, lean protein and low-GI carbs (slow-release energy), like wholegrain bread or pasta.
* Have healthy snacks throughout the night, like sushi, pan-fried seafood, chicken skewers or antipasto (steer clear of anything creamy or deep-fried).
* If you’re getting tiddly, pace yourself by having a glass of soda water with fresh lime.
* If you come home gnashing your teeth with food lust, have some dinner leftovers, a bowl of cereal, toast with baked beans or some soup with wholegrain bread. Wash it down with water or a sports drink, then try to sleep your way back to civilization
Make Fast Food Better
If you come across a burrito or kebab joint on your stumble home, order one with loads of salad, beans and lean meat. Ask for low-fat cheese instead of creamy sauce, and you’ll be full up and home free (not to mention less hungover in the morning – the food will soak up some of the booze in your tum).
If multinational cheap-eats are your only option, these menu items are the least likely to split your shorts:
* Mcdonald’s: Chicken Tandoori Wrap or Chicken Sweet Chilli Wrap
* Hungry jack’s: Grilled Chicken Burger
* Kfc: Cayan Grill Wrap
* Domino’s pizza: Veg Trio or Big Taste Chicken Monaco (on a thin base)
* Red rooster: Skinfree Grilled Chicken Baguette
Related content:
Health & Wellbeing: Healthy snacks for under 150 cals