The pre-dinner dinner.....it's not the turkey that will get you!

So many of the nutrition tips out there this time of year focus on how to reduce your calories during the main meal. But for me, it's the pre-dinner snacks that really are the landmines to avoid. 

Here are the tips and tricks that I use to not only keep my nutrition goals in check, but also to relax and enjoy the time with family, rather than worry about the food I'm eating.

• if you're going to someone else's house: bring your own appetizer! Make it something that you know you can eat without worrying about it - I always bring a veggie tray with a tzatziki or hummus dip
• park yourself in front of the dishes that aren't calorie bombs waiting to explode - whatever is within arm's reach is what you'll eat the most of, so opt to sit in front of the fruit tray instead of the sausage rolls!

• if you're having dinner at your place, you have the ultimate sense of control - only serve healthy fare :) at my place this year although we'll have one dish with tortilla chips and salsa, most of everything that we're serving will be healthy: shrimp with cocktail sauce, veggies and dip, hard cheeses and nuts

• when opting for nuts, choose pistachios! In 1oz of nuts, usually you can have approximately 20-25 nuts, but when you are eating pistachios, you can have 49 nuts for 1 oz - plus because they are in the shell they take longer to eat :)
• hold on to your water! I keep my water glass full for the whole evening and sip it throughout - often people eat hor d'eouvres without thinking, and just because they are in front of you - if you keep your hands full, the chances of you reaching for treats is significantly slowed down!
• limit the variety! Studies have shown that the fewer number of options you have, the less quanitity you'll eat - think about it - if you have m&m's, chips and crackers and cheese in front of you, likely you'll grab a little bit of one, then to mix up the flavours have a little bit of the others and repeat. If you just had a tray of crackers and cheese in front of you, you will eventually desensitize to the taste and not eat as much. 
• CHOOSE CAREFULLY! I think the odd indulgence is important. But pick items that you truly enjoy. It drives me crazy when I see people wolf down giant pieces of cake without breathing and tasting every bite - or when people eat a pile of mashed potatoes just because they are sitting in a bowl in front of them and they feel like they should even though really, they don't think potatoes are all that great. Look at your options and if there is something that you truly enjoy and love - have it - enjoy it - savour every little piece. If you are going to indulge - make it worth it and pick one or two items that you truly love instead of just piling every little thing onto your plate without thinking.

Happy snacking :)