HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
Smart eating amid the festive feasting—tips from Como Shambhala nutritionist Eve Persak
ith the parties you are throwing, get-togethers you are attending—the holiday season is truly the time to eat, drink and be merry. Moreover, with a full spread on the dinner table, from roasts and mince pies, to pudding and eggnog, who can resist? We are most likely to give into temptation and indulge ourselves—or should we say, overindulge? Nothing wrong in giving yourself a little treat; all it takes is some smart eating. “Don’t give up entirely during the holidays. Any small wellness moves you maintain reduce the effort required to regroup afterwards,” says Como Shambhala nutritionist Eve Persak. “If all bets are off during the festive season, then give yourself advance notice that life will be different afterwards. Strategise your diet. Rather than adopting a fad regime, consider making an appointment with a registered nutritionist. He or she will be best able to identify what to exclude and include from your current eating habits to get the fastest results for your efforts. Likewise, personalised recommendations are the ones you’ll be best able to master, maintain and progressively build upon.” Persak is on hand to help with The Home Kitchen Edit by Como Shambhala Urban Escape Singapore. Following a nutritional consultation and two-hour home kitchen review, she helps clients build a comprehensive dietary plan and a customised shopping list for well-rounded meals and snacks. Or why not take time out for one of the wellness programmes at the Como Shambhala Estate in Bali to reboot and refresh your personal relationship with food and health. Here, Persak shares how you can have your cake and eat it too this festive season.
How do you create a decadent festive menu that is still friendly on the waistline?
Preparing dishes at home is a good start—you select the ingredients and decide how to use them. Most traditional recipes are easily modified. The salts in savoury recipes are often optional, so reducing or removing entirely saves you from fluid retention and excess water weight. Serving fruit-based desserts can streamline sugar and also boost fibre, antioxidants and micronutrients. Sauces and dressings should serve as a moisturiser for salads, sides and mains. Simply drizzling less lowers fat and calorie counts.
Even the healthiest eater can find it hard to stay on track. What is your advice?
Plan your pleasure. Food is fuel for the body, but it’s also an opportunity for pleasure. Restricting all treats only makes them more attractive and makes us more likely to overindulge. Create a safe structure for indulgence. Allow one every day, every other day, or once a week— whatever feels right. Get yourself the best such as gourmet chocolates and artisan cheeses. Keep servings petite, enjoy, and then continue with your nutrition plan.
What are ingredients you should always have in the pantry?
• Raw nuts and seeds: loaded with healthy oils, fibre, protein and micronutrients, and ideal as snacks or toppings for salads and smoothies. • Dry cereal grains and legumes: shelf-stable and translate easily to a meal. • Spices: just a sprinkle of turmeric, cumin, cinnamon or chilli can elevate a routine dish. • Teas: green, oolong and matcha for early morning perks and herbal infusions for wind-down tonics at night. • Nut milks: While fresh and homemade is ideal, keeping a UHT pack is helpful when you’re craving a creamy addition to beverages or porridge.
What changes can you make to lift your mind, body and spirit?
Carve out a few minutes to decompress at least one meal per day. Ask yourself how you can make meals slightly healthier. Switching from white to wholegrain bread or soda to water may have powerful cumulative effects. Make at least one wellness date a week. Go at it alone (a face mask, pleasure reading, or a bubble bath) or pair up with a friend (meet for tea, a healthy lunch, or a group yoga class). Just set time aside in advance, protect it, and enjoy it.