Oh Those Parties!

Food!!!  It's everywhere!  

Delicious, sweet, savory, no good for you food!!!  

I love this time of the year.  I love the lights.  The songs.  The cheer.  The hustle and the bustle.  (No, I swear that wasn't me honking my horn at you at the light you sat through three times... promise, haha)  I love the gifts.  And the shopping.  And the baking.  And the cookies.  And the parties.  The drinks.  The FOOD.  Yikes!  I started drooling over here.

I do.  I love everything about the Christmas season.  I love that we get to celebrate the birth of Christ in such a grand way.  And to spend time with those we love.  Yes, it stressful and sometimes over-the-top expensive. But I love it just the same.

Back to the food. How am I, how are WE, to get through this season without completely ruining all the hard work we have been putting in all year.  The workouts, the clean eating, all of it down the drain over a few work parties??  I think NOT!  So here are a few tips that will hopefully help you and I through this party season without binging too much.

1. BRING YOUR OWN CLEAN EATS!  Yes!!  Duh!  Trust me, it is in no way, shape or form, rude to offer to bring a healthy dish to a party.  Want my advice on a go-to clean eats to bring?  Home made hummus and veggies.  Trust me.  It will be a hit, and you can munch on it guilt free all night.  My recipe?  Sure... 1 can of drained and rinsed chick peas, two garlic cloves, olive oil and 1/3 c of tahini, cracked black pepper, a dash of sea salt and a few tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.  Put it all in a food processor and go to town.  Voila!  Don't like humus?  Make fresh guacomole or fresh salsa and serve with organic blue corn chips.  How about a fruit platter?  Come on, the healthy options are endless.  You can do it!

2.  EAT BEFORE YOU GO!  Afraid you will be too tempted?  Don't have enough time to whip up something home made?  Eat something healthy before you go to your soire!  Have a nice, high protein meal.  The high protein will keep you full and satisfied longer, and you will be less likely to keep hitting up the food table.

3. DRINK TONS OF WATER!  Ok, I am not going to lie.  When it comes to holiday parties, I like a cocktail or five.  I make sure to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate before I guzzle all those empty calories.  Gosh, I sound like such a hypocrite... but hey, a girl has got to enjoy herself every once in a while!  I keep the drink calories to a minimum with clear liquor drinks, vodka and cranberry juice with a lime is always a great option, vodka with grapefruit juice, ummm vodka with..... wow I really like vodka!  You get my point.

4. EAT THE GOODS!!  Ok, so you didn't make something healthy to bring... and you didn't have time to eat before you went.  Find the healthiest food you can... come on, you all know what those are.  Whole, fresh ingredients.  Find it on the food table. Eat only those foods. 

5. When all else fails, invite me to the party with you and I will slap all the unhealthy foods out of your hands before it makes it way to your mouth! 

If none of this advice works, go for it.  Get wild and crazy for the holidays.  Then come join me in the new year in my resolutions challenge group, where we will shave off all that you put on over the holidays.  Trust me, there will many details to follow regarding this!

This may be my last post before Christmas, got a lot of eating... I mean prepping to do this week!  I wish you and your family the Merriest Christmas yet.  May it be filled with love and lots of laughter.  Enjoy your parties!!

Thanks for stopping by!  ~Joslin