5 golden rules for limiting calories as an appetizer
Ouch, Madame Micho has just invited you for an aperitif. The problem: You're on a diet...and you have no intention of getting back those dearly lost pounds. So follow the guide!
Rule #1: Don't touch alcohol
If there's one fake friend you should be wary of when dieting, it's alcohol. We tell ourselves “Little beer, don't make me fat!” and presto, after 33cl, we've already ingested 150 calories. This is equivalent to a slice of pizza.
Our advice: back off the lighter alternatives. Among the drinks with the fewest calories, there are of course water (0 calories but we give you that roasting in crystalline lacks magic), tea, coffee, light soda, fresh fruit juices, and a well-diluted syrup. ..
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Have you been told that tonight you are not drinking anything alcoholic? The pretext of a sudden concern about road safety: “Did you know that in 2016, 3,400 people died on the roads of France?”. And if it is your mother-in-law who makes you think, put on a mysterious atmosphere and caress your tummy scattered ... Guaranteed effect.
Rule #2: Take it easy on cupcakes
At an appetizing time, there's always a good spirit to pull out a box of chips or a box of crackers. Warning: these little things (which we eat in handfuls, almost without thinking) have a dangerous effect on our personality.
100 grams of biscuits? Bab, 500 calories. 100 grams of shrimp? 530 calories. 100 grams of pastry? Only 370 kcal. Not to forget the famous peanut flavored biscuit that we love: 100g = 470 calories. In addition, the salt in the appetizer cake promotes water retention and, accordingly, watery cellulite. Enough to destroy all our efforts in a few seconds on the elliptical trainer ...
Our advice: It's all about cunning. It's indisputable to refuse an appetizer cake: the danger is to provoke a sense of frustration, dangerous in the long run (= we'll take our revenge on dinner). Instead, we suggest you take a handful and stick to it: On the other hand, it's forbidden to get your hands on the package. Other than that, choose healthy snacks: olives, vegetable dips, almonds... fewer calories, but not all you can eat either.
Rule #3: Be careful with sauces
Guacamole, mayonnaise, ketchup, tapenade... We love to dip our chips in them yet we suspect these are calorie bombs. For example, a tablespoon (10 g) of tapinade is already 26 kcal... that makes you think.
Our tip: Here again, you'll have to play Sioux. Two possibilities: Either we go back to the lowest-calorie sauces (because regular chips are still non-volatile) like Light Formag Blanc, 0% Yogurt with Fine Herbs, tomato puree...or if there is only mayonnaise and ketchup on the table we allow ourselves what Equivalent to a tablespoon out of greed!
Rule No. 4: We keep track of quantities
Finally, the appetizer's biggest pitfall is the quantities. When we talk to Madame Micho, we mechanically hit the peanuts, without really realizing it. And pour ourselves another coupe of roses without thinking about it ...
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Our advice: practice the geo-distance technique seriously. Mathematically, the further away you are from the buffet, the less likely you are to give in to temptation. Tested and validated tip 2: Make time for everything. If you eat a handful of crackers, enjoy the whole moment; Madame Michaux will be waiting to tell you about her latest shopping spree...
Rule #5: Listen to your body
It seems to be a hippie mantra however this is the rule to follow when you want to stay slim. Concretely, it is a matter of regularly assessing our "will to eat": what motivates us to snack? Hunger, boredom, something else? And there, it's magic: the simple fact of being aware of it helps us eat less...
Two more small tips for limiting calories as an aperitif:
If you are the one organizing the aperitif, you can offer your guests light and healthy alternatives. "What, you don't know veggie chips? Wait, it's a hey dance for every trend in Paris!" Just thinking about it...
More sneaky but just as effective: Prepare a small healthy snack and diet before you go to an aperitif organized by your neighbor — a slice of wholemeal bread + low-fat butter + a handful of almonds, for example. With a full stomach, you'll likely be less tempted by surprise bread.