Food Optimising at a Festival

If you’re going to a festival this summer, this Food Optimising guide is as ESSENTIAL as your sunglasses (oh, and wellies!)

Festival season is finally here! Whether you’re dancing till dawn or getting your groove on at the Silent Disco!!

By planning ahead, using your choice power at mealtimes and maximising your Body Magic, you’ll have all the tools to enjoy every minute while keeping your weight loss singing.

As with any holiday or special occasion, you have three choices when it comes to Food Optimising:
• Follow the plan, as usual, making the most of all the Free Food available
• Give yourself the freedom to enjoy eating out while staying in control, with a little flexibility
• Leave slimming behind (knowing that you might gain a little) and get back on track 100% as soon as you get home

Headlining Food Choices

You might not be able to control every aspect of the food you eat, but you can make some savvy decisions at the food stalls:
Jacket Potatoes: Have your spud without butter and load it with Free toppings like beans, tuna and salad.
Barbecues: Choose lean cuts of beef, lamb, chicken or pork.
Pasta: Tomato-based sauces such as arrabbiata are much lower in Syns than their creamy counterparts (think carbonara and alfredo) and they’re more likely to contain plenty of Speed Free Foods.
Mexican: Veggie chilli and rice is a great alternative to nachos laden with soured cream and guacamole.

Japanese: Keep your eyes peeled for sushi, often a brilliant low-Syn choice.
Noodle Bar: Again packed lower in syns, filling.
Fruit: Pick up some watermelon slices, oranges, and fruit salads – great for refuelling mid-morning or afternoon.

Make lean steak, jacket potato and salad (hold the butter and creamy dressings) a top-of-the-bill festival meal

Success at the Campsite
• Plan ahead and take a selection of Free Food, Healthy Extras and low-Syn snacks to help you stay on track.
• Disposable barbecues are great for enjoying Slimming World burgers and sausages (available from Iceland), back bacon rashers (visible fat removed), lean cuts of steak, chicken, pork and lamb, corn on the cob, veggie kebabs and massive field mushrooms
– all Free!
• If you’re using a gas stove, fill up on canned Free Food such as new potatoes, mushy peas and
baked beans.

High Spirits, Low Syns
For most of us, alcohol is part and parcel of the festival vibe! So, stick to lower-Syn options like spirits with diet mixers – eg 35ml vodka and diet cola – or low-calorie beer, eg Coors Light.

And Finally…
Drinking plenty of water and refilling whenever you’re near a water station will help you cool down and stay hydrated, especially if the weather’s hot.

Contact Nora on 087 2489838