If the weight that we gain throughout our lives is one constant over the course of years then the spikes would certainly be found this time of year.

Living in a country like Costa Rica, a country that starts celebrating Christmas November 2nd is no help either, what with supermarket aisles already filled with Christmas goodies, only just preceded by the Christmas-meal training camp.

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Thanksgiving, US-style. If you are not already feeling the pangs of guilt and stomach gas, then you may be light on friends from the States, I don’t blame you, but don’t lose any sleep over it. You will get your chance to overeat in the coming weeks.

So the riddle for the ages is, how does one enjoy himself during the holidays, without creating the need to work it all off come January 2nd? The answer is not by joining a gym, or working out more, although neither of those is going to hurt your overall health in the long or short run.

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For the truly dedicated, possibly crazy, but definitely determined individual who wishes to not repeat every holiday season in life so far, to the one who wishes to do something different this year, there are a couple of easy things you can do to get the edge on your new years resolutions while out party-hopping. The good news is you have already made it halfway through the Costa Rican Christmas season as of this writing.

Here are five tips to stave off the Santa-fat stalking your body at parties this holiday without drawing too much attention to yourself:

  1. Use a small plate. This is easy at home but can be problematic when out at parties. On the off-chance you are at one of those fancy parties where the host has several plate options, play stupid and grab the tea-plate or one of its cousins, or worst case scenario ask the host if you may be accommodated. I find they usually can find me a small plate if I simply ask. Fill it once, fill it smart, and call it “a party.” Follow with a tall glass of water and do not repeat.

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  2. Go green. Fill your plate with greens and avoid food that glistens with anything other than steam. No not the quetzal-cookies someone made because of their holiday colors, I’m talking about that salad, that chayote-ceviche in the back, or even the mini-carrots. The goal is to minimize foods high in butter or sugar, preferably both, if possible. Those sweet potatoes over there? That’s butter and sugar you see gleaming back at you.

  3. Don’t chew the fat. Protein is great, but holiday cuts can land you with fatty options if you don’t object, and cooked fat from animals is not going to just pass through your system. Pig, Ham, Bacon and even Wild Boar in Costa Rica, love to make appearances at Holiday Parties in various forms.

    Go light, go lean, and eat the meat first on your plate. Follow with greens to wash it down correctly… and talk to whomever you want to, just finish chewing, please.

  4. Volunteer to be the Designated Driver. Alcohol alone is higher in calories per gram than carbohydrates or proteins, but holiday drinks are loaded with sugars and fats which only up the calorie intake. The healthiest thing about your average holiday beverage is the ice. That Dos Pinos Rompope with the 4% alcohol in it, which will barely be worth the buzz it may give you, and certainly not worth the headache, is over 200 calories per serving (250ML).

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    If holiday cheer is your goal, then skip the milk, and have a shot of rum. Your head and gut will thank me later. Better yet, have an excuse to avoid the extra calories altogether, and rest easy knowing you will be the hero for the day, keeping your family and friends safe on the road home.

  5. Show up late and leave early. Since everybody is always late to holiday parties, this is not a problem socially, just make sure to have a pre-planned exit-strategy if you can. To start with, you will be less tempted to graze on hors devours, but also parties have a shelf life anyway.

    Especially if you are the DD, you will notice the stories getting recycled, and since you’ve seen this movie before you may wish to retire before the final scene where it gets really gory. Parties don’t die, they fade into an ugly mess of desperation, one you can avoid with planning ahead.

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If you can do these five things outside, applying wherever possible in your own home, and if you stay active, then you may find your resolve to lose that Santa-fat an easier pill to swallow after all the decorations go back in the box. They may call you crazy, true, but I love ya, and I support you in this mission should you choose to accept it. I wish you all happy and healthy Christmas partying in the land Pura Vida.

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Written by VIP Member Damon Mitchell who spent over 10 years in the fitness industry before he moved to Costa Rica in search of a better work/life balance. Currently he lives in Playa Tamarindo in Guanacaste, where he and his wife Cristina are owner-operators of Pizza&Co pizza express, located in Plaza Conchal 2.

Daily, Damon runs on the beach or works out at Tamarindo Fitness Center, keeping fit by doing a combination of old-school weight lifting, calisthenics, TRX, stability ball work and just about anything he can do to create new and fun exercises. Most recently he is learning to surf.
You can email Damon here if there is anything specific about staying fit and healthy in Costa Rica you would like him to cover in his next article.

Living in Costa Rica and Remembering Damon’s Important Christmas Party Tips

Article/Property ID Number 4529

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