Holiday Indulgences - Elle Magazine

To indulge or not to indulge? That’s the million-calorie holiday-soiree question. With canapé trays to the left, cheese trays to the right and champagne cocktails sparkling in every corner, navigating through the dozens of temptation-filled parties this season can be as tricky as admitting that you think Zac Efron is kind of hot. But you don’t need to rely solely on Spanx and an iron will this winter. ELLE reveals the healthiest choices on the buffet table and behind the bar so that you can balance your packed party schedule with staying healthy and still fitting into your favourite Balenciaga cocktail dress.

PRE-PARTY PREP
Most of us head into party season with one of two ill-advised strategies: Starve all day to bank calories for a food-and-alcohol love-in later on or give in completely and embark on a two-week free-for-all in the name of festivity.

Both attitudes are best avoided. “Not eating all day plays havoc with your metabolism and sends the body into starvation mode, in which it stores fat instead of burning it,” says Derek Johnson, a dietitian and nutritionist in Los Angeles. And, as he points out, expecting to stick to healthy food choices when you’re starving is a futile mission. “Our DNA is designed to be signalled visually by food, and it’s not broccoli or turkey that we crave,” explains Johnson. “Your brain is going to zero in on getting energy fast, and that comes in the form of sugar and carbs.” That starts a vicious cycle. “Cravings increase from imbalanced sugar levels,” adds Johnson.

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