Christmas is a very social time of year but with all the fun, food and alcohol fuelled festivities also comes a few extra kilos.
Follow these simple guidelines to help you keep on track during the festive season without feeling like you are being deprived.
♥ Stick to a routine. It is important to keep to a regular routine and not skip early morning exercise because you have had a late night. Push yourself to stick to your regular exercise routine which in turns keeps you positive and motivated to want to stay fit and healthy.
♥ Watch your alcohol intake. Alcohol is loaded with sugar and empty calories so go easy on the drinks. Try drinking a mineral water in between each alcohol based drink to pace yourself. Avoid creamy rich cocktails and soft drink mixers and stick to white wine spritzers or clear spirits such as gin with mineral water with a twist of lime. A little splash of cranberry juice adds extra flavour without too much sugar.
♥ Avoid going to cocktail parties on an empty stomach. We have all done it and after a couple of drinks your blood sugar drops sending you into an eating frenzy. Canapés are often a mix of high fat and high carbohydrates which spell disaster for the waist line. Eating a healthy meal before you go will avoid mindless snacking on miniature party pies and sausage rolls.
♥ Take a plate. If you are visiting friends for lunch or dinner, offer to take a plate. This way you can be assured that there will be something healthy to fill your plate with. Taking a large delicious mixed salad or a big bowl of tropical fresh fruit salad means there is always a healthy option.
♥ Don’t deprive yourself. Make the majority of your main meal a salad of vegetables, but have a little bit of everything that you really fancy. Moderation is key. If you really want that mince pie, have it and enjoy it. If you deprive yourself you will end up caving after a couple of glasses of wine and devouring the left over trifle straight out of the bowl!
♥ Put it all into perspective. It is very hard, almost impossible to put on actual fat after just one day of eating whatever you like. You can weigh more purely because of extra glycogen storage and this extra fluid will quickly be lost if you get back on track. The weight sneaks on if you eat what you like every day for 1 – 2 weeks over the holidays and that is when it becomes harder to shift. Remember to give yourself one day of indulgence but get right back on track the next day to avoid falling into that dangerous trap of “I’ll start tomorrow”.
By following these simple tips you can be sure to start the New Year as you mean to go on – Happy and Healthy!
Fiona Tuck is a Skincare Expert, accredited Nutritional Medicine Practitioner and a member of the Australian Society of Traditional Medicine. Fiona’s holistic approach to nutritional health is driven by her mantra – ‘Nutrition is the grass roots of good health’. For more information, check out Fiona Tuck Nutritional Medicine – www.fionatuck.com
