The holiday season is a time to reunite and celebrate with family and friends, not worry about weight gain! When you’re comfy on the couch with your home-town besties watching your favorite movies and swapping college stories, it’s easy to overindulge a little. However, when New Years rolls around and you’re trying to squeeze into that cute sequin dress, you might be regretting those extra Rudolph cookies….
Lucky for you, these easy food swaps let you enjoy holiday treats sans the guilt-trip!
Hot Chocolate vs. Eggnog– our bodies don’t register nutrients the same way from beverages that we would from food so gulping down a few cups of eggnog could add a new meals’ worth of calories to your day without you even knowing it!
Swap a 150 calorie cup of Hot Chocolate for that 350 calorie cup of Eggnog!
Pumpkin pie vs. Pecan pie- swap a nearly 700 calorie slice of pecan pie for a 180 slice of pumpkin pie…. Big difference!
Pumpkin spiced latte with skim milk (no whipped cream) vs. Peppermint white chocolate mocha with whipped cream- Starbucks is a tempting spot this time of year with all those scrumptious sounding drinks! You don’t have to miss out on the fun though; just swap that 410 calorie peppermint white chocolate mocha for a 200 calorie pumpkin spiced latte
Shrimp Cocktail vs. Cheese and crackers- If you’re a seafood lover, 5 medium-size shrimp with cocktail sauce is a mere 51 calories! Two ounces of cheese with five crackers, on the other hand, is 310 calories
When browsing the appetizer buffet, try reaching for that veggie or fresh fruit platter! But if there are certain foods that you’ve been waiting all year for, go ahead and indulge a little. Savor them slowly, though, and stop when you’re satisfied rather than when you’re stuffed!
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Columbia Barnard chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.