SILLY SEASON SURVIVAL

Another year has passed and it’s that time again. Christmas parties, New Year celebrations, day after day of hot weather and school holidays conspire against the best efforts to stay trim, healthy and, above all, sane. Here are some ideas for making it through in one piece.

PICK YOUR BATTLES

It’s neither fair nor feasible to maintain a strict diet all the way through the party season. Choose two or three occasions when you will allow yourself to indulge and then revert back to healthy eating for the remainder of the summer. For example, sticking to a salad and a mineral water at the office Christmas lunch might do more to damage your relationship with colleagues than a blow-out would to your waistline. No one likes a party pooper.

CHRISTMAS CALORIE CATASTROPHES

The old-fashioned Christmas feast with roast turkey, hot vegetables and Yorkshire pudding, all smothered with lashings of bread sauce and rich gravy is a delightful