CHRISTMAS LUNCH TIPS FOR FITNESS FANATICS

Got a fitness fanatic or bodybuilder sitting at your table this Christmas?

While some people eat around 6,000 calories on Christmas day (which is three times what they would normally get through!) other more ‘ripped conscious’ people, many of which we have in our office, need to be specially catered for and will no doubt be very vocal if they are not.

Here are our top 10 tips to feed your fitness fanatic family member or friend:

1. If you have a choice, serve fish or seafood instead of roast meat.

2. If you are cooking meat make sure you cut off as much fat as possible before cooking and try to BBQ or grill the meat instead of roasting it.

3. Make a salad or steamed vegetables rather than serving baked-in-fat starchy vegetables.

4. For pre-lunch snacks include vege sticks, baked pita bread, and cottage cheese dip on your platter instead of potato chips and creamy dips.

5. Separate the stuffing and meat when cooking so it doesn’t soak up extra cooking fats.

6. Eliminate empty calories by buying a low fat ready-made gravy rather than using cooking fat and serve it on the side rather than pre-pouring.

7. Have bowls of cherries or grapes on the table rather than bowls of lollies or chocolates.

8. Flavour vegetables with herbs and spices or low-fat yoghurt rather than adding butter or a creamy sauce.

9. Make a large fruit salad for dessert and choose lighter dessert options such as meringues or fruit tarts rather than heavy Christmas puddings and chocolate loaded desserts.

10. If you are the host and you have taken some of this on board remind the fitness freak of the effort you have gone to. If they still don’t like it give them a protein shake and sit them in the corner so everyone else can enjoy your guilt free feast.