How to Enjoy Food and Drinks in Moderation this New Year's Eve ...

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I?m planning to ring in the New Year with friends at a party where I know there will be plenty of delicious food, bubbly drinks, and loads of merriment.?I sometimes get wrapped up in the festive atmosphere of special events like this and tend to overdo it. When the champagne is flowing, I use some little tricks to help me practice moderation while also having a blast ringing in the New Year!

Stick to a number
My New Years party starts at 7p.m., so there are quite a few hours before the ball drops, which means I need to pace myself with my drinking so I make it until midnight. I know once I have a couple of drinks,?I find it difficult to turn down a third or fourth, so before the night even begins, I determine how many cocktails I will have and stick to that number. That way, I don?t get wrapped up in the?fun of the evening and wake up with a hangover the next morning!

Sip and savor
I love to enjoy a cocktail or two at parties, so I pick a drink that I know I?ll enjoy slowly. I enjoy the taste of wine, so I savor and sip it slowly. If I choose whatever alcohol takes me the longest to drink, I wind up saving calories (and a possible hangover) by passing on an additional round.

Swap in some ?mocktails?
Alcohol calories add up quickly, so?between rounds, I swap in some ?mocktails,? non-alcoholic, diet-friendly?beverages that look?(and can often taste) like cocktails, but without the?booze. For every alcoholic drink I enjoy,?the next?beverage is usually a seltzer with a splash of pineapple or cranberry juice. And if I add a wedge of lemon or lime and a tiny straw, it looks and feels just like a cocktail, but without all the booze and calories, which keeps my diet in check.

Pick a start and stop time
A long, festive?evening surrounded by tons of tasty party food,?is potential for disaster when it comes to my healthy eating habits. Instead of snacking all night?long, I pick a start and stop time to nosh. In the past, I used to snack all night long, especially after enjoying a couple of drinks?when my inhibitions go down. I?d overeat (and drink) and wake up feeling terrible. When I attend a party now that goes late into the evening, I designate a time to stop eating. That way, I eat a satisfying amount, but don?t overdo it by picking at the food until closing time.

Read Tina?s daily food and fitness blog, Carrots ?N? Cake.

Source: http://news.health.com/2012/12/31/new-years-eve-in-moderation/

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