You’ve completed the hectic holiday party circuit, and now your body is suffering the aftermath. Enlist these tactics for beating the post-season bulge in 2012.

Holidays can be a healthy diet’s worst enemy. A little treat here, a tropical dessert there, and suddenly the button on those new Christmas jeans is holding back the tide. Fernwood National Programs Manager Tracey Robson-Garth guides us back from beyond.

Good fats are not always good

Overindulging in anything is unwise, says Tracey. Portion size matters, even for foods high in nutritional value. Nibbling on snacks like cheese and nuts – two foods that are high in healthy elements – may seem harmless enough, but Tracey warns they can be deceptively high in kilojoules. “Munching through 100g of nuts doesn’t take long if you’re not paying attention to it,” she says. “And there goes half your recommended daily kilojoule intake.”

A glass of juice racks up around 500kj in just one drink. So while it’s important to stay hydrated during summer, Tracey recommends sticking to water to avoid consuming too many kilojoules throughout the day.

And the biggest culprit over the holiday season? You guessed it: alcohol. Not only does it have a very high kilojoule content, it has no nutritional value. You don’t have to swear off the grog completely, but cutting back after the party season will help you to shed unwanted weight. When you are enjoying a few, have glasses of water between ‘drinks’.

Love to eat, don’t eat to love

Self-sacrifice is tough but it can be even harder to say no to others, especially if it’s your Nan lovingly offering a second helping of her famous Christmas pudd, smothered in custard and lashings of cream. Friends and family often use food to show they care, and they can be hard to refuse. Tracey explains, “You need to remember that just because someone offers you a biscuit or a slice of cake with a cup of tea it doesn’t mean you have to eat it. Enjoy the tea or coffee without the sweet.”

Back on track

We all slip into bad eating habits from time to time, but learning what triggers these lapses is a lesson you can take out of the experience, Tracey says. “If you’ve let good habits slide, it’s a great time to revisit your goals and review your plans to achieve them. The important thing is to get back on the bandwagon today and not wait for tomorrow.”

Tracey offers these tips for avoiding temptation and sticking to healthy options:

• At parties, focus on socialising rather than eating and don’t hang around the food table.
• Eat a healthy meal at home before going to a party to avoid the temptation of unhealthy foods.
• When eating at events, choose a small plate and don’t go back for seconds.
• Avoid places that expose your weak spots, such as the lolly aisle of the supermarket.

You can also try these simple food swaps when preparing meals at home:

• You feel like lamb; try kangaroo.
• You feel like crackers and chips with dip; try celery and carrot sticks with dip.
• You feel like beer; try light beer.
• You feel like mayonnaise; try avocado.
• You feel like icy poles; try frozen fruit.

Resolve for life, 2012 and beyond

Summer Food Coaching offers weekly one-on-one sessions with a food coach who will not only help you achieve your goal weight, but maintain it for life. Plus, your tailor-made program fits in with your lifestyle, not the other way around. Enquire about Food Coaching today.