Xin Nian Lai Le!

The Chinese New Year celebrations are a beautiful time of reunion with the family and of course, when you see “reunion” and “family” in the same sentence, you can expect food to be involved. As the CNY snacks and dinners pop up around us, it can be easy to decide to forgo our healthy diet.

Photo Credit: shopandbox.com

BUT, wait a minute.

You’ve worked so hard these few weeks! You've made the effort to prepare nourishing meals and you've pushed yourself further and smashed your workouts. 

(Take this moment to look back on how far you've come and give yourself a pat on the back ☺️)

To help you keep that progress going, without missing out on the CNY celebrations, we’ve round up some top tips on how you can survive the calorie-loaded snacks and dinners that are coming your way.

 

1. Eat Mindfully

As we are surrounded by packs of bakwa and boxes of pineapple tarts, we understand it is near impossible to resist them. We’re not here to say run away from them, but a little mindless snacking over a conversation with your cousins can pump in hundreds of calories without you even knowing!

To give you an idea of how many calories you could be putting into your body and how long it’ll take to burn them off:

With all these snacks around, how do you stop yourself from going overboard?!

Choose a few of your favourites, place them on a small plate and slowly savour each bite. This way, you won't end up finishing the whole box, and you can truly enjoy their taste!

 

2. Eat Slowly

Slow down. You are not in a rush to finish all the food before your family! It can take up to 20 minutes before your body realises you are full so eat slower. Take small bites, enjoy the conversations and you'll be closer to avoid overeating!

3. Choose Healthier Alternatives

 For the most part, CNY snacks are calorie-packed with little nutritional value.

Instead of avoiding them completely and putting yourself through the torture of watching your family take bite after bite of deliciousness, here are some healthier alternatives to try!

Pineapple Tarts v Organic Dried Pineapple

Or spend some time in the kitchen with your family and make some healthi-fied pineapple tarts here .

Store-Bought v Homemade Bakkwa

Ready for some yummy bakkwa without the calories? Find the recipe here.

YeeSang v Salmon Salad

You can also choose to enjoy the traditional Yee Sang, but fill up on the vegetables and raw fish with minimal plum sauce, deep-fried crackers and oil.

Fried v Steamed Nian Gao

This is a useful tip to remember. When possible, always opt for steamed or boiled, instead of fried cooking methods.

Sweet Drinks v Mandarin Orange

Craving for something sweet or looking to quench your thirst? Forget the packaged sugary drinks and go all-natural with mandarin oranges. Eat one on its own or add some slices to a salad for its sweet goodness and vitamins A and C!

 

4. Fill Up Before Going Out

You can’t control the menu when you visit relatives or eat out. But, you can always make healthier decisions at home. Eat a healthy breakfast or snack before going out to meet with your friends or family. This way, you will feel fuller and be less likely to overindulge on snacks.

Like these #angang smoothie bowls by @frederikkewaerens

 

5. MOVE With The Family

Remember to keep MOVE-ing this Chinese New Year! It is the perfect time to gather your friends and family for some active outdoor fun! Go hiking as a family or just for a walk and picnic around the park!

6. Hydrate

As the CNY heat kicks in, remember to drink lots of water to stay hydrated! You can also enjoy a cup or two of that special tea your Auntie brought back from China. Tea and water are great choices with very little to zero calories.

These BPA-Free Infuser Bottles will do the trick!
With a timeline to remind you to keep sipping! 

In this annual occasion where cousins, aunties and uncles from all over reunite under the same roof, it is a tradition for us to be reconnecting and catching up over our favourite foods. So while we work towards our health and fitness goals, let’s not forget what's truly important: Family.

Have a Happy Chinese New Year, ladies!