For most of us, Christmas is a time for family, friends and food! However for anyone involved in health and fitness, it can cause some anxiety.
Many gyms are closed, often we are not at work and in our routine, and foods we do not usually eat are readily available...and very tempting! Offices are full of chocolate, and for many of us we have Christmas parties and meals coming up which may take up time you usually spend training or keeping active.
So what do we do?
Some people prefer to embrace the festive season and 'get back to it' in January...for others, they struggle to maintain their routines and feel guilt if they go off track. The average British person gains 1kg in body weight over Christmas ; equivalent to almost 7,000 kcal worth of energy which is a lot of pigs in blankets!
If you have overindulged or are feeling anxious about losing progress over the holidays, here are my top tips to help you stay on track and tackle the New Year head on.
Plan for social events
Setting a weekly instead of daily calorie budget will allow more flexibility to enjoy higher calorie meals and Christmas parties without sabotaging your healthy lifestyle. It may mean eating lower calorie options during the week if you tend to be more sociable at the weekends, or experimenting with intermittent fasting protocols. Alternatively, on the days you are planning to socialise at night, try and hit a hard gym session earlier in the day to release endorphins and get you feeling good alongside burning off a few extra cocktails!
The ‘2 out of 4’ rule;
If you have planned a Christmas meal with colleagues, or have more family events than usual, try this simple rule; out of the options of a starter, main course, dessert and alcohol, choose two of these! This may look like a main course and wine, or a starter and a dessert- whichever combination works best. This means you can still enjoy your favourite parts of the meal without having to count every calorie, and will help keep you on track.
While eating out, be mindful of hidden calories in food- and do not be afraid to ask for sauces on the side of your meal. This can save you 150-200 calories per meal, which equates to a lot over a month!
Cook seasonally!
You may well not feel like your usual meals so try cooking some healthy versions of your favourites! My go to recipes are chicken soups, protein brownies and DIY Christmas coffees using Cinnamon stevia drops from NOWFoods!
Take 1 teaspoon of instant coffee and make a small espresso; blend this with 250ml of your favourite milk, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger powders and add 5-10 drops of NOWFoods stevia drops!!
Make a date with a training buddy and HIIT it!
If you know you are meeting a friend for an early morning gym session, you are MUCH more likely to go than when it is cold and dark in the evenings! HIIT workouts tend to be shorter and more enjoyable to do in pairs- they also have the benefit of helping you boost your metabolism for 24 hours and keep you burning calories at a slightly higher rate than your normal routine.
Set your gym clothes out the night before and choose a good playlist to get your through the dark mornings. A good pre workout supplement can help you focus if you do struggle and need an extra caffeine kick in the mornings.
Look after your digestion!
Often we do eat differently over the Christmas period to our usual routine- I use Digestive enzymes from Now Foods at these meals to help me digest foods that are higher in fat or lactose than normal and this helps mitigate any overly bloated feeling. I take digestive enzymes half an hour before meals and also in the mornings, alongside a probiotic supplement; this combination never fails to allow easy digestion and avoid any bloating at the Christmas party!
Choose your drinks wisely
Social events usually do involve alcohol, but if you are smart about it you do not have to miss out on enjoying a drink. Alcohol has 7kcal/gram and these calories can add up on a Christmas night out! Making choices such as choosing single measure spirit drinks with low calorie mixers instead of sugary cocktails will help you avoid unwanted excess calories, without sacrificing your festive tipple. Make sure to stay hydrated if drinking alcohol too, choosing to have water or soft drinks in between alcoholic drinks. If you are bringing your own alcohol to an event, buy single measure premixed drinks if possible- this helps with portion control and makes any unwanted hangovers less likely.
If you have overindulged, rehydrate with electrolytes when you get home. Our serotonin stores also become depleted after drinking alcohol, so using 5 HTP from Now Foods the day after can help avoid any hangover blues!
