Christmas: To Eat Or Not To Eat

CHRISTMAS is upon us once again. For us Filipinos it's that one time of the year when old faults are forgiven, family ties are strengthened, and belts loosened. Yes. For Filipinos, Christmas is almost synonymous to a feast ? a really big feast.

No holiday is as perilous as Christmas for those who wish to be faithful to their diets. Who can resist the alluring shine of the lechon baboy's crispy skin? Who can say no to the fiesta ham's wafting aroma? Even if you have the willpower of a superman or a wonder woman and be able to ignore such goodies, peer pressure will always get the best of you. After all, Christmas is also that time of parties, parties, and more parties. Can you imagine declining your boss' invitation to drink beer? Or to your darling sweetheart's fruit cake? Whether you like it or not, you will eat. And you will eat a lot.

Face the facts: you will most likely see the yummiest confectionery and most scrumptious dish before you in one of the Christmas parties you will be attending, and no matter how hard you try, you will certainly help yourself with a nibble or two. All it takes is just one bite to spell the difference between a dietary success and glutton reborn.

Before you grab a bite, bear in mind that you will be wading through enemy territory. The sweeter and greasier the food, the more calories it has. The more calories you take in, the more pound you put on. And unless you are able to chop off that excess baggage, you'll certainly be shopping for a bigger pant size come January.

The key to overcoming the "Christmas Binge Bug" is simply by doing things in moderation and by learning how to compromise. Negotiate with yourself and stick to that agreement. Get into the proper mindset and learn how to say enough is enough. If you are going to go all out at tonight's office party, make sure that you don't eat as much the next day. Burn up the calorie you've taken in before you invite some more. Walk ten miles. Sweat it out.

It's also common Filipino practice to give foodstuff as presents during the holidays. If you find your refrigerator brimming with such goodies, better to start giving away some to those less fortunate than you are. Be a Samaritan. Learn to share before you become a victim of your own stomach.

Wary dieters should also avoid alcoholic drinks. They're chock-full of calories and are mostly likely to affect your better judgment. The more you drink, the more your food will seem to taste better. The more you eat, the more you'll want to drink. When you're drunk, you won't be able to tell if you're full and you'll probably want to eat some more. When you can't avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, it's best to take it slow. Better yet, drink sips of water between gulps of beer since alcohol has a tendency to be dehydrating.

Of course, the Christmas holiday shouldn't be a grim string of days to those who want to stay trim. Christmas comes but once in a year. You should enjoy it, but not to the point that you are forgetting yourself. Otherwise, you'll end up in the gym in January or, worst, look like Santa Claus all year through.

Merry Christmas! *