Top tips to help you stick to your health goals this Christmas
Beat The Bulge This Christmas
If the thought of trying to stick to your health goals this December has you quaking in your winter boots, you are not alone! Part of the reason that the new year is synonymous with weight loss and keeping fit, is the huge number of people who fall off the wagon in December.
With so many Christmas parties and festive events throughout the entire month of December, it’s not easy to resist the delicious foods tempting us at every turn.
But don’t panic! Whether you are trying to lose weight, maintain your weight as you head into the new year, or simply trying to keep up the good work you have achieved with your health and eating habits, there is no need to let the holiday season deter you. It is absolutely possible to eat well throughout the Christmas period and still enjoy yourself, and indulge a little if you wish!
Here are our top tips for getting through the holidays with your waistline – and your sanity – intact.
Check out our Christmas gift guide for health lovers here.
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1. Don't Start Too Early
One of the big mistakes people often make is thinking that the whole of December has to be a write-off in terms of eating well. I know that in my work, cookies and cakes starting making daily appearances in the staff room as soon as November is over, as well as chocolate advents calendars teasing us on every wall!
The grocery shelves are stocked with a stunning assortment of holiday-themed goodies – like the gingerbread spiced and wintry mint versions of our favourite cookies and sweet snacks, not to mention the coffee shops trying to entice us in with their latest cinnamon flavoured latte.
Their advertising may seem irresistible, but if we are well prepared, we can get through the month without succumbing (and your wallet will thank you for it too!)
Early to mid-December should be the easiest time to resist overindulging, as Christmas Day is still weeks away, so staying determined should be much simpler (in theory!)
At this point in the month, I remind myself that if I want to be able to let my standards slip during the week of Christmas, I need to eat well in the weeks leading up to the big day. Be sure to plan ahead and have a healthy snack available for when someone unexpectedly appears with some festive treats.
Try making your own homemade energy balls using cacao, dates and walnuts if chocolate is your big temptation, and adding cinnamon to anything will make it feel like a festive treat!
2. Prepare your week in advance
I know from experience that the weeks leading up to Christmas are directly associated with a lack of time and a need for convenience. This is why planning your week’s meals in advance is even more important at this time of year. You are much less likely to stop for fast food on the way home if you know you have a lovely fresh meal waiting for you in the fridge.
Try to make time at the weekend to plan all of your lunches and dinners for the entire week. Involve the whole family in choosing the meals so they don’t feel as though they are missing out on the festive junk food they are seeing advertised.
By making one trip to the supermarket to buy the whole week’s shopping, not only will you have a pantry fully stocked with healthy choices like fruits and veggies, healthy proteins such as nuts, cheese, boiled eggs, tuna and good quality meat, but it will also reduce your exposure to the evil festive marketing we discussed earlier!
Having a fresh, healthy lunch with you at work will also mean you can avoid the temptation of popping out to grab an overstuffed festive sandwich filled with processed meats and sugary cranberry sauce.
3. Only have treats which really are your favourites
Most festive lunches and party buffets are filled with lots of bland, pastry covered nibbles such as sausage rolls, vol-au-vents, etc. which we can often find ourselves mindlessly chain-eating. I am personally very guilty of eating these types of foods at parties, when I genuinely wouldn’t choose to eat them usually and don’t particularly enjoy them. Make sure that any naughty party food you are having is food that you really love.
Try to fill your plate with colourful veggies and some good protein, like hummus or a small serving of cheese. Then choose one or two of the treats that you absolutely love, eat slowly and really savour them. You will feel much more satisfied than polishing off 8 sausage rolls in one sitting (I speak from experience!) If it is a party that you are contributing to, take a healthy dish with you that you find delicious, and stick mostly to that, again with a few select treats thrown in.
4. Go easy on the alcohol
Although the holiday season is a great opportunity to celebrate good times with friends and family, it tends to be a time when many of us overindulge, not just with food but with alcohol as well. This is not a good idea for a number of reasons.
Firstly, alcohol is mostly empty calories, and this can make it easy to consume 100s of calories in a very short space of time. With a pint of cider containing more than 200 calories and a Margarita cocktail coming closer to 500 calories, it’s easy to see how a few drinks with friends can have a much bigger impact or our weight that we may think.
Choose your tipple wisely – and stick to less sweet drinks to keep the calorie content lower. A dry wine or a spirit-based drink without sugary mixers will have fewer carbs and calories. No matter what your chosen drink, aim to limit yourself to 2 or 3 drinks rather than binge drinking, with a glass of water between each drink.
Being drunk makes it much more likely that we will succumb to temptation where junk food is concerned, and the hangover the following day is unlikely to help you in your health goals either! Remember – everything in moderation!
5. Don’t overdo the portion size (especially on the big day)
Rethink your definition of “full.” If you struggle to keep the weight off, one concept that’s worth reconsidering is your idea of when to stop eating.
We’re trained from an early age to clear our plate, and this often means continuing to eat when we are no longer hungry. At this time of year especially, it almost seems expected that everyone will stuff themselves to the point of discomfort, but with a little restraint, you don’t need to find yourself in this situation.
Choose to have appetisers or dinner, not both. Appetisers are a great option at parties; there are so many delicious ones to try, and you can have a nibble of everything.
Instead of gorging on an array of appetisers and then eating a huge plate of main course, make the decision early on to have one or the other. Or have a half portion of each, choosing two or three appetisers and then half a plate of main course, with plenty of veg.
You will feel perfectly satisfied afterwards, without that horrible stuffed feeling and the guilt that goes with it.
6. Eat your veggies first - and eat lots of them!
This is a great rule to follow any time of the year, and one I always stick to. No matter what is on my plate, I eat the vegetables first. Part of the reason is that I always like to leave my favourite part of the meal (normally the protein) till last, as a treat, but it also means that you are less likely to overeat, since veg is full of fibre, which fills you up.
Unless you are on a very low-carb diet, you should be able to happily tuck into all the vegetables which are served with Christmas dinner.
Classic accompaniments such as carrots and Brussel sprouts are packed with nutrition, keep us regular, and generally help with weight loss by delivering healthy fibre and needed vitamins and minerals to our bodies, so fill your plate with these first, then add a small portion of the meat, stuffing and potatoes.
If you are following a low-fat diet, remember that potatoes and veg are often cooked with butter and cream, so ask the host to make you a lighter portion, or take along your own.
7. Have a little of what you fancy
If you are anything like me, you may find that sticking 100% to your health ‘rules’ can work for a period of time, where you feel motivated, determined and at times invincible! But inevitably life gets in the way, and you fall off the wagon in spectacular fashion.
After this, the chances of getting back on track are much lower than they were when you first began. There are certain times where being super disciplined and strict with yourself is the correct approach, but Christmas isn’t really one of those times. If you deprive yourself of any treats and naughty evenings, there is a much greater chance of losing track of your health goals for the holiday.
This is a great time of year to implement the 80/20 rule when it comes to healthy eating.
This means sticking to your healthy eating rules 80% of the time, and indulging in special treats the other 20%. This will ensure that your body is getting enough nutrition across the course of the day, but you are not feeling deprived, and are less likely to binge on an entire box of chocolates one evening if you are feeling stressed.
On Christmas Day itself, you may even want to change the ratio to 70/30 or 60/40, knowing that you have eaten well in the lead up to Christmas so can afford a few luxuries with dinner. Just remember to choose the treats that you really love, and try to avoid mindlessly eating food simply because it is there in front of you.
8. Keep active
The Christmas season is a time of year when we tend to slack off with our exercise routine. Even if you’ve been working hard at smashing your fitness goals throughout the year, it can be difficult to fit in your regular trips to the gym once your calendar begins to fill up with festive social events.
But with food and drink tempting us at every turn, it is more crucial than ever to keep active if we are to avoid piling on the dreaded holiday pounds.
If trips to the gym are not a realistic option at this busy time of year, then try these simple tricks to keep yourself more active as you go about your daily schedule.
• Park further away from the store (or work)
This is such a simple way to get your heart rate up and saves you driving round in circles trying to get a space in the first few rows. Once you are out of the car, power walk as quickly as you can until you reach the store. For added exertion, continue to power walk as you do your shopping. Burn more calories and save time as well!
• Take the stairs
You’ve probably heard it a million times, but walking up a few extra flights of steps is a great way to increase your activity levels. Why not make this a fun social activity? If you’re walking back from office lunch with your crew of co-workers, it might be fun to all take the stairs together.
Why not treat yourself to an activity tracker and have a fun competition to see who can get the most steps in during the week/month? You don’t have to buy a fancy expensive one – this tracker is great value, has all the features you will need and comes in a variety of colours to suit both men and women.
Again, this can save you time when out Christmas shopping; if everyone else is queuing up for the escalator, you can run past them on the stairs!
• Wrap up and go for a walk
One of my favourite things about Christmas is going for a walk on a crisp, cold day. Before the dreariness of January arrives, wrap up warm and go for a wintry walk with loved ones or friends. As well as burning calories, it will give you a chance to de-stress and discuss everyone’s plans for Christmas.
Going for a walk when you are craving junk food is also a good distraction and you will hopefully find that when you return home, your cravings will be gone.
• Reduce stress levels with yoga
Although Christmas is supposed to fill us all with joy, there is no doubt that it can become stressful too. One great way to reduce your cortisol levels is to incorporate daily yoga practice into your routine.
The fantastic thing about yoga is that it can be done in the comfort of your own home, without any special equipment, and even 10 minutes per day can make a huge difference, so it can fit into even the busiest of schedules.
I like to practise yoga first thing in the morning to set me up for the day, but many prefer the evening, as a chance to wind down after work. There are many free yoga programs available on Youtube, so you can soon be enjoying the health benefits of daily practice, including more restful sleep, better posture and improved mood.
9. Be kind to yourself
The most important thing to remember this Christmas is to enjoy yourself! If you obsess too much about what and how you are eating, you will lose sight of the importance of relaxing and enjoying time with friends and family.
If you do have a bad day and over-indulge, don’t give yourself a hard time. Make a decision to get back on track the next day, and don’t wrack yourself with guilt over a momentary lapse. Just focus on doing the best you can and giving your body as much healthy food as you can.
And if you do gain a couple of pounds, you can always get back on track in January – along with the rest of the country!
Wishing you a healthy and happy holiday season!
