It’s that time of year again. Christmas is only a couple of weeks away, the summer holidays are just around the corner and after nearly 4 months in lockdown, I think we’re all ready to get out and enjoy ourselves, have a good break and make the most of the sunshine.
But how can you have a great time without either depriving yourself or putting on lots of weight? I truly believe it is possible to have fun, eat good food and still achieve your health goals with a little bit of planning and conscious decision making. The tips below will give you some ideas for what to do to stay on track with your health goals in order for you to look good and feel healthy in January!
Christmas survival tips
1. Don’t try to diet over the festive period
Set a maintenance goal instead. This is more realistic and much more achievable. This will give you the freedom to enjoy yourself without the feelings of deprivation or the pressure to rebel!
2. Take low glycemic load (GL) dishes to parties and BBQs
Low GL foods are carbohydrates that are slowly digested and absorbed. They cause less of a spike in your blood sugar levels than highly refined carbohydrates such as white breads, pasta, rice and processed foods like cakes, biscuits and pastries that send you on a blood sugar rollercoaster and cause havoc with your energy levels, mood and hormones. Low GL options include things like brown rice, quinoa, wholegrain breads, oats, lentils, chickpeas, beans and good old vegetables.
3. Normal routine tends to go out the window!
However, make sure you don’t forget about yourself and still take the time to plan your food. That way, you will still have the right choices in the house and it will be much easier for you to succeed. If you have a specific health goal, it is a shame to fail just because you don’t have the right foods to hand. This is so easy to avoid just by giving it a few minutes thought and preparation.
4. Don’t go to a party hungry
If you do, it will be harder to make healthy choices. When we’re ravenous it’s natural to head straight for the high carb, high sugar options that will give us that quick boost. But what goes up must come down and the inevitable crash in blood sugar will leave you feeling hungry again and craving for more…cue overeating!
5. Make good alcohol choices
I think we could all do with a drink after the last few months but some options are better than others. When it comes to ‘healthier’ alcohol options we tend to focus on sugar content but it’s actually the alcohol content we need to watch out for. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram whereas sugar contains 4 calories per gram so the higher the alcohol percentage, the higher the calories and the bigger the impact on your waistline.
Opt for lower alcohol options, avoid creamy and sugary drinks, and go for soda or sparkling water as a mixer rather than tonic or coke (even diet or zero sugar versions). Also be aware that RTDs marketed as ‘no sugar’ may have hidden calories in the form of added sweeteners or juices i.e. they’re unlikely to be the same as making a vodka or gin and soda at home!
Another tip is to try to drink with food as this will reduce the impact of alcohol (and sugar) on your bloodstream.
6. Try and continue with your exercise programme
If your usual classes aren’t running, choose other options instead e.g. find some YouTube exercise videos you enjoy, swim in the sea, try paddle boarding or encourage your family or friends to get out in the fresh air with you for a morning walk – it’s a great way to start the day and spend quality time together too.
7. Be gentle with yourself
If you do happen to overindulge, do it consciously, enjoy whatever you are indulging in, don’t feel guilty about it and get back on track afterwards. It’s not what you do occasionally that is going to derail your health goals.
8. Drink plenty of water
Keeping yourself hydrated is important for so many reasons but, in particular at this time of year, it can encourage you not to overeat and will also improve how you feel the next day (especially if you have overindulged!)
9. Watch your portion sizes
It’s so easy to lose track of how much you’re eating when constantly surrounded by food. Aim to get a plate so you can visually see how much you’re eating rather than just picking bits at a time from the BBQ table or platters of nibbles.
10. Have fun!
I think this is the most important tip! There’s been a lot of challenges to deal with over the last few months (and in fact, the last year or so). We all deserve to enjoy this Christmas period and summer break so I hope you do just that!
If you want to prioritise your health goals in 2022, why not book a free call with me before Christmas and get yourself set up to start the New Year with a bang!
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