A low-glycemic diet doesn't restrict your food choices too much for special occasions. In fact, because a low-glycemic lifestyle is all about moderation, you can rest easy knowing that having a few medium- to high-glycemic items once in a while won't ruin your efforts.
Whether you're at a holiday gathering, on vacation, or at a party, you can almost always find some good choices.
Low-glycemic picks for holidays
The fall and winter holidays are often the most challenging time for many people working toward a health goal such as weight loss. The core culprit? All those goodies just hanging around at work and at home. However, when you really look at it, many holiday meal items work beautifully with your low-glycemic diet. Here are some top picks for the holidays:
Halloween:
Pumpkin dip
Pumpkin soup
Pumpkin seeds
If it's not Halloween to you without a little candy, Peanut M&M's and Dove dark chocolates are medium- to low-glycemic. They're still high in calories, though, so just eat a little bit to avoid overdoing it.
Thanksgiving:
Turkey
Green beans
Tossed greens salad
Pumpkin pie
Of course you want stuffing and mashed potatoes too. Go ahead and indulge that craving; just have a smaller portion of each one.
Christmas:
Roast beef
Turkey
Seafood
Tossed greens salad
Roasted vegetables
Pumpkin pie
Desserts are probably the biggest challenge at Christmas. Pick your favorite and enjoy, but try not to nibble on treats all day.
Hanukkah:
Brisket
Roasted chicken
Applesauce
Salad
Latkes are probably the biggest temptation during this holiday. Either eat a small amount or try to make vegetable latkes to provide a different spin on the traditional potato version (which is definitely high-glycemic).
Kwanzaa:
Carrot salad
Succotash
Okra and greens
Red snapper or other seafood
Black-eyed peas are another popular Kwanzaa dish. With their medium-glycemic load, black-eyed peas are also a good choice.
Vacations
Whether you're traveling across Europe, going on a cruise, or camping at a nearby lake, the main goal with vacations is twofold: Do a little planning ahead and remember to balance all foods so you can enjoy yourself and still maintain your weight.
Because so many types of vacations exist, narrowing down the possible low-glycemic food options into a list is difficult. Following are just a few tips of what to buy or look for on a menu:
Grilled, baked, or roasted chicken, turkey, lean beef, or pork
Seafood (make sure it's not fried or dipped in a lot of butter)
Side vegetables
Side salads and soups (sometimes these may be your only choice for veggies)
Fresh fruits
Hot cereal for breakfast
Scrambled or poached eggs with whole-wheat toast
Indulging on vacation is okay; just don't do it for every meal of every day. Instead, balance your indulgences with some healthy choices that you enjoy just as much.
Although losing weight on vacation is possible, you may just want to set a goal to maintain your weight when you're away from home. Doing so helps you avoid unrealistic expectations so you can focus on the more realistic goal of not gaining a significant amount of weight (which is where balance and moderation come into play).
Parties
Parties often feature a wide assortment of food choices. Whether you're attending a work party, a graduation shindig, or a summer barbeque, you should be able to find some great traditional choices, such as the following:
Grilled, roasted, or baked chicken, lean beef, or pork
Seafood
Side vegetables (raw or cooked)
Three-bean salad
Bean dips
Artichokes
Olives
Nuts
Tossed greens salad
Fruit or fruit salad
Corn on the cob
Tortilla chips
