FitSugar

How to Deal With the Buffet at a Wedding Reception

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:00:00 PDT

It is June and wedding season in is in full bloom. Weddings are fun-filled events, but beware of the buffet. It is all too easy to pile the calories onto one little plate. Here are a few suggestions on how to survive with the buffet table.

Survey the Table: Don't start at the beginning of the table and take one of everything the buffet has to offer. Give the table a once over and pick out the healthiest options. Put those options on your plate.
Easy on the Drinks: Alcoholic drinks are surprisingly high in calories. Plus they diminish your willpower, making it harder for you to make wise decisions.
Drink Plenty of Water: By all means toast with a glass of bubbly, but stick to water for the rest of the evening. It is refreshing, zero calories, and might just make you feel more full.
Walk the Line Once: Don't go back for seconds. Just don't. You want to save room for cake, right?
Avoid Hors d'oeuvre: Starters tend to be high in calories. It seems like food eaten off a napkin doesn't really count; but it does. Go for the crudités – feel no need to limit your consumption of these raw veggies. For dipping sauce, on the other hand, keep a light tough.
Stop When You're Full: Sometimes we all need to be reminded for the obvious. When you are full, stop eating. That is the best way to not over indulge. Just think how light you will feel on the dance floor.

How do you deal with the buffet table at any event? Share your advice in the comments section below.

Don't forget top check out all the wedding fun on IDoSugar.

Source

Happy Thanksgiving Digestion Tips: Before, During, and After

Anna Monette Roberts — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:09:23 PST

You know it's Thanksgiving when your gut is bloated, the top button of your pants is undone, and a terrible heartburn sends you to bed. Overeating might be causing some of these digestive pains, but there are several other measures you can take to avoid a post-Thanksgiving belly as well as help your body break down the fatty meal.

Before the Thanksgiving dinner: Wait to eat until you are sitting down. It may be tempting to pick at the buffet of offerings in the kitchen before you take your place at the table, but it's harder to control portions if you're standing up and snagging bites here and there. By waiting, you actually prime your body for digestion. The smells and sights of the delicious buffet trigger the production of extra saliva and digestive acids to help break down food. If you don't give your body enough time to produce these natural digestive aids, you will feel some discomfort and bloating later, as your body works harder to break down the food.

Kyle Schuneman's Tips to Throw a Budget Chic Halloween Party

Guest Writer — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 05:00:00 PDT

Enjoy this Halloween party post from designer guest writer Kyle Schuneman!

Halloween is the time of year where everyone gets to let loose. Juggling kids’ trick-or-treating time with adult parties is always tough. Here are some great ideas for throwing a budget chic party so everyone can stop by and celebrate.

Photo booth fun. Using Tempaper, wallpaper a Gothic feature wall in your space to set the mood. It will be a great backdrop for a photo booth! Add a few Ikea candlestick sconces and some spider webs to complete the look; everyone can take a Polaroid memento away with them from the night!
Scary soup buffet. For the table, think buffet style to save you money. Use a clear punch bowl and fill with a delicious butternut squash soup. On the outside of the bowl, use washable window markers to draw a Jack-O-Lantern face on the outside for an instant centerpiece! Use cheap bowls with handles from CB2 (that you can use year round) so it’s an easy soup to eat while standing up and mingling! For drinks, have classic orange soda bottles in a metal ice bucket with some dry ice for effect.
Black carnations. Usually I wouldn’t recommend carnations, but since they are so cheap, they are a great alternative to more expensive flowers. With a coat of black floral spray paint, these ho-hum flowers can become quite the conversation piece. One can of spray will be able to cover dozens of flowers to fill the party.
Treat tree. While the parents will enjoy their Polaroid Take-A-Way, a treat tree is a chic way to showcase candy treats for the kids. Using remnant pieces of fabric, make festive sacks to hang from a spray painted branch; it's a great alternative to that boring candy bowl!

For more design tips, be sure to follow Kyle on Twitter!

Photo Source: Woman's Day

Beautiful Wedding on a Budget: 5 Insider Tips From a Wedding Planner

Yahoo Shine — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:15:52 PDT

We're happy to present this article from one of our favorite sites, Yahoo! Shine:

Sure, it's fun to get all dreamy about having a wedding of Kim Kardashian-proportions. But since most of us won't be wearing a dress that equals several salaries or handing out thousand-dollar baskets of organic soap at the door, it's probably best to (eventually) wisen up about how to plan your own day, your own way. Shine spoke to veteran professional wedding planner Laura Patterson of The Ideal Day in Chicago about how to host an A-list wedding on a budget.

She shared these five insider tips.

Modern Etiquette: When Should I Hold a Housewarming Party?

Elka Karl — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 05:00:14 PDT

Recently, Stacey reached out to us on our Facebook page with the following question:

"Help! We just moved into our new house. Great, right? Well, our last place was very small and our new house is very big. We don't have a lot of furniture or even artwork up. Every box is unpacked. All of our friends have asked us if we are going to have a housewarming party. We want to but I don't know what the proper etiquette is for something like this. What do you suggest?"

Stacey, the good news is that you can throw your housewarming party as quickly as you like. No need to feel as if your home is perfectly put together - there's a certain charm in introducing your friends and family to your new home before it's been completely settled into and decorated to perfection.

Since it's the Summer season, I'd encourage you take advantage of any outdoor space at your new home. Arrange a buffet table and carafes with iced tea and lemonade on your front porch, or set up games like badminton and croquet in the backyard. That way, even if you feel as if your house isn't picture-perfect, you can keep the focus on your fabulous outdoor space. For a few more tips, keep reading.

Entertain at Home With a Chili Bar

Susannah Chen — Mon, 02 May 2011 03:52:01 PDT

Chili is one of my favorite foods to entertain with; not only can it be prepared ahead, but it's incredibly adaptable. So for my last dinner party, I chose to take things to the next level with a dress-it-yourself chili buffet. After all, if one can create a bangin' bloody mary or hot dog bar, why not a DIY chili version, too? To learn more about creating one yourself, read more.

Healthy Dose Link Time

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:30:59 PST

A yoga pose that is especially suited for the holidays - Lululemon
Tips on making snowshoeing your new favorite Winter activity - That's Fit.ca
Gwyneth hopes for Country Song sequel so she can eat more fried food - Fit Celeb
Shape names its best and worst fitness trends of 2010 - Shape
How to stop a holiday meltdown before it starts - Health
What to grab on the buffet table this season without ruining your diet - Fitness