Eat healthily during the week, but go wild come Saturday? There is a nutritious detour.
By Rebecca Whish
Last Saturday, I went to a party absolutely ravenous. There was a huge platter of chips and dips, and I smashed through pretty much the whole thing, before a friend came over and asked, “Are you right?”.
You see, during the working week, I attempt food saintliness, but, on the weekend, the minute I down a glass of sav blanc in the presence of snacks, you can watch my health regimen deteriorate like LiLo’s career.
Comfortingly, according to accredited practising nutritionist Laura Sutherland from smartnutrition.com.au, I’m not the only girl who eats like a sumo on her days off. “We don’t have the structure that we have during the week,” says Sutherland, adding that if we’ve been “good”, we’ll think, “I deserve a [insert food containing enough kilojoules to support a small suburb].” Sutherland talks us through a few tactics to curb a habit of publicly hugging the chip bowl.
Eat a balanced pre-party meal
“This should include a portion of protein (eg meat, fish, tofu) the size of a deck of cards, and a portion of complex carbohydrates (eg brown rice, potatoes, pasta) the size of a cricket ball. Then vegies or salad make up the other half of your meal,” says Sutherland. That way, you’ll arrive at the bar/party satisfied, and won’t end up stalking the nearest fast-food joint like a kind of she-wolf.
Chew, talk, walk
Keep your mouth busy by chewing gum and chatting, while your hands hold your purse and a glass. Sutherland adds, “Place yourself so you have to walk across the room to the food table – if you sit right next to a bowl of lollies, they’ll be gone in no time.”
Hydrate as you intoxicate
Aim for one alcoholic drink to one non-alcoholic drink, or simply water down your booze. Half white wine, half soda water even has a retro-sounding name: “spritzer”.
If you’re hosting, be health sympathetic and offer jugs of mineral water with fresh lemon or lime, mint and ice.
It’s okay to say, “no more!”
This is CLEO giving you permission to be a foodie fusspot, so don’t ever feel bad about not finishing your plate. Even if your boyfriend’s Italian mama is putting the pressure on you to eat your own weight in creamy carbs, stand strong, compliment her endlessly on her beautiful cooking, and don’t let yourself be stuffed like a goose.
Chips are only for year four parties
If you’re having the girls over for a rom-com marathon, Sutherland suggests serving up snacks like grainy crackers, bread, and vegetable sticks with really nice hummus or tzatziki dip. Add to that an antipasto platter with grilled eggplant, capsicum and sun-dried tomatoes. “Nuts, dried fruits and sushi are great, too, though stuffed mushrooms are my personal favourite,” she adds.
“Try strawberries dipped in dark chocolate for dessert.” This healthy platter is definitely more stylish than a few ratty packets of biscuits and salt-and-vinegar chips.
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