You’ve worked so hard this year to reduce or maintain your weight and now it’s Christmas. What do you do?
Just forget about healthy eating and indulge in everything that’s on offer?
Or deny yourself any treats and feel like a martyr to the cause?
What if there’s another way?
A way that you can join in on the festive celebrations but not ruin all the good work you’ve done this year.
Here are my five festive tips to help you avoid overindulging.
Decide how long your Festive Season will last.
It’s so tempting to think that now December has arrived all bets are off when it comes to healthy eating! Will your Xmas start on 24th December and last until 26th? If you can do that, you will enjoy all the goodies so much more. Savour them and enjoy them guilt free.
Don’t go to the party hungry or thirsty.
At this time of the year, we get so many party invites and it’s an environment where you don’t have control over what food is on offer. My motto here is ‘be prepared and be aware’! You would be surprised at how calorie laden those bite sized canapés can be.
Eat something before you go. If you arrive hungry then your choice power will be in jeopardy. And if you are hosting the drinks party then there all sorts of lovely, low calorie, nutritious delights you can offer your unsuspecting guests. Check out my FB page and Insta for some ideas. Prawn skewers, fat free dips, smoked salmon ‘blinis’, cucumber canapés etc.
Make sure you are well hydrated before the party too- otherwise that festive fizz will go down a bit too speedily!
Make sure you get plenty of sleep.
It can be so hectic trying the get everything done before the big day. If you’re feeling tired, then your energy will be low and you’re much more likely to give in to temptation.
And also, if you’re exhausted you’re more likely to react badly to other people’s demands and this often leads to stress munchies, where you eat a whole bar of chocolate or packet of biscuits just because you snapped at the kids or lost it with your partner.
Indulge a little
Christmas is one of the few times of the year we would consider popping a cork before midday! Present opening and a Bucks Fizz go hand in hand for many people. And after all- it’s the season to be merry. Just make sure that for every alcoholic drink you have – match it with a glass of water. Nothing worse than feeling dehydrated- or having a hangover by the time of the Queens speech!
To reduce the calories in your drinks over the festive season – consider swapping wine or fizz for a clear spirit like gin or vodka and dilute with a sugar free mixer. My favourite tipple is white wine and sometimes it goes down far too easily! I swap to red wine as I’m not as keen on it and therefore drink it more slowly.
Eat mindfully.
When we are faced with so much food we can eat it without really enjoying it or savouring it. We actually even stop tasting it. I speak from experience when allowed free rein with a box of Quality Street! Be selective with your treats and decide what you will allow yourself- and then make it a mindful event.
I really hope that these tips will support you not to overindulge this December- I will be taking my own advice too. I will stand clear of the Quality Street and the Pinot Grigio!
Happy, healthy Christmas.
Yve xx
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