Top Tips to Eating during the Christmas Season!

1. Eat before you go to limit the canapes and nibbles you pile into on arrival at a party. Have a slice of toast with peanut butter or mini Babybel cheese. Or grab a handful of almonds (about 23). Because they are good for protein and fibre, they are surprisingly filling and both options only have around 160 calories.

2. At the "do", start with a soft drink. If you dive directly into a glass of wine or a cocktail, you are likely to drink it fast to quench your thirst, stimulating your appetite.

3. Avoid snacks clad in pastry or batter such as spring rolls, vol au vonts and tempura. They can have 80-100 calories each.

4. Retro party food can be a great choice. Tiny slices of pizza, pineapple and cheddar on a stick and a mini cocktail sausage tend to have 40-50 calories each.

5. Sushi is low in fat and is low GI which means it gets digested slowly so it's filling. But most sushi pieces have about 48 calories so although low in fat, you still need to pace yourself.

6. Steer clear of salty snacks like nuts and crisps. These will make you want to drink more and kick off the snack-drink-snack cycle which is hard to break.

7. Spot mustard served with cocktail sausages or the hot green wasabi on a plate of sushi? Have some! Hot sauces slightly raise the number of calories you burn.

8. Drink sparkling water. The bubbles may help give a slight sense of fullness.

9. Eat slowly. It gives your body time to release hormones that tell your brain you are full. Party nibbles are ideal for eating slowly.

10. And finally, find someone interesting and fun to chat with. The more you are absorbed in the conversation, the less likely you are to have your eye on the food.

thesun.co.uk