IT is that time of the year again, when the snack table is filled with choice goodies, from log cakes to honey-glazed donuts to chocolate chip cookies and muffins of all shapes, tastes and sizes.
And, with everyone in a happy festive mood, who needs Quaker Oats cereal? The odds are almost 100:1 that you would favour just about any festive food over the humble bowl of oats.
But seriously, before you pig out this Christmas, take a look at the hard facts: jolly-occasion food is loaded with extra sugar and butter.
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A single raised donut usually contains from 170 to 270 calories. But the denser cake donuts can run from 290 to 360 calories, while cream-filled options tend to be 300 to 400 calories each. Muffins are even worse. A traditional three-inch muffin these days may contain anywhere between 360 and 600 calories - without the butter or jam.
So what can you do to ensure at least a semblance of healthy eating over the next few weeks, with Christmas, New Year and Chinese New Year all lined up?
Here are a few tips to chew on:
Location, location, location
This is as true for real estate as it is for the festive eater. Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating and professor of nutritional science at Cornell University, says that we don't over-eat because all the food taste good, but because the cues are all around us - wherever you turn, you see tubs full of cookies, plates, cups, forks and spoons, friends and family munching away. Not surprisingly, simply sitting close to snacks will make you eat more.
So make a conscious effort to put some distance between the snacks and yourself. Take the sofa furthest from the coffee table, for example, and make sure no snacks are within a simple stretch away.
Strategise
The best way to prevent over-eating while visiting during festive periods is to down a bottle of water before you arrive at your host's house, says Nehal Kamdar, a nutritionist with Raffles Hospital.
'Always go out on a full stomach so that you won't be tempted to snack,' she suggests. And don't just stay away from cookies. 'If you don't want to put on weight, you have to cut out the wine and beer too and stick to plain water. Remember, one gram of alcohol helps you gain seven extra calories. That's almost double what one gram of carbohydrate will do,' she says.
Balance your food groups, and always eat carbohydrates with protein
You might want to have a 'balanced' meal: equal portions of protein and vegetables, with a smaller quantity of carbohydrates, advises Richard Currey, one of the directors of the Cohen Lifestyle Clinique here. That's the advice the centre is giving to its weight-loss participants.
Other dieting choices to make include keeping it simple, like having only one source of protein per meal. 'Make it either beef, turkey or chicken rather than all three. Keeping it straightforward keeps it easy on the body's digestion,' he notes. And if you want to have carbohydrates, then have it with some protein, to slow down its sugar-spiking effects.
Naturally, it's not easy to be strict on the diet during this period, so cut yourself some slack if you veer from the path, but don't let the pounds sink in for too long and try to get back on track soon. 'The longer you let the pounds stay on, the harder it is to get off,' says Mr Currey.
Two is enough
When there is a huge spread of food and the variety is almost endless, you may put into effect what is sometimes called the 'rule of two'. That is, choose any two treats that you would most love to eat and ignore the rest. This way, you satisfy your most persistent cravings while preventing a total pig-out.
'Everyone needs a little comfort sometimes. It will be very miserable to see all the good food and not eat any. That's being unnecessarily harsh to yourself. So go ahead and pick two. That should keep you sufficiently happy,' says Ms Kamdar.
If you must fry 'em up
Everyone knows olive and canola oils are low in saturated fats. But a lesser known fact is that they're good sources of Vitamin E, which many people don't get enough of in their diets. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin and it works as an antioxidant. It helps lower bad cholesterol and can prevent heart disease.
Pick the right oil to fry up your festive dishes. It may not make much of a difference in the taste compartment, but it sure helps, health-wise.
And now, the saving grace ...
Go for food with saving grace, for here's the good news: some seemingly unhealthy snacks actually have good properties. So while it appears an irony, eating those deftly-wrapped chocolate pieces might actually be a good idea. Milk or dark, whatever your pleasure, chocolate is actually a diet essential. The enjoyment that comes with eating this indulgence has been known to reduce the stress hormone cortisone, which can play a role in weight gain. And that's not all. Dark chocolate may help reduce high blood pressure and improve cholesterol, while milk chocolate could give a boost to brain function.
'At the end of the day, most types of food provide nourishment. The trick is in knowing how much you actually need, and to stop yourself from over-loading,' adds Ms Kamdar.
Hope these tips will help you forumers during these festive feastings, avoiding some changes to your wardrobe.
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Beware The Festive Pig Out 
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