Enjoy Christmas & stay on track
The Christmas and holiday season is well and truly here and for many of us this means Christmas parties, barbecues and more social occasions. Eating away from the home often leads to eating in excess of energy requirements and ultimately weight gain. Studies do show that weight gain often occurs during the holiday period. How much do people gain? Depends on the study you read but anywhere from 0.4kg to 0.9kg is common. You may not think that is not much weight, but what is probably worse is that half of that weight is kept post-holiday period which over time compounds and contributes to steady adulthood weight gain. I recently added a blog post about moderation (click here) which is a reminder to check in with your yourself to ensure these once off’s don’t end up turning into habits.
So without further ado let me give you some tips on how to avoid gaining weight and ‘falling off the wagon’ while still enjoying the holiday season.
Remember that Christmas day is only a single day. I’m all for enjoying food but don’t let the entire holiday break be an excuse to drop all your usual healthy eating habits. Skip the all or nothing thinking. You don’t have to be all-in, eating like an arsehole or completely abstaining from everything on the Christmas table. Find a balance!
Be mindful. Mindful eating is important in everyday life, but even more so when we are faced with temptation of loads of delicious tasting food. Mindful eating means you are eating with presence and being fully aware and engaged with the act of eating. How do you practise this? Enjoy every bite, chew lots and think about the flavours, textures and feelings associated with your meal. Remove distractions; this means leave your phone off the table & turn the TV off. Instead, engage in conversation with others. Eat until you are 80% full, instead of bursting at the seams full.
Limit the booze. Alcohol contains (for lack of a better term) empty calories. This basically means that they have no nutritional value and don’t benefit the body in any way. Alcohol itself is quite calorie dense, so even if you’re having vodka, lime and soda’s you’re still consuming 62 calories per 30mL measure. Alcohol also lowers our inhibitions, so while you may have turned up at a party with great intentions to enjoy a moderate evening, ending up pissed may result in a food coma.
Prioritise whole foods first. Fill up on all the good stuff like vegetables, salads and fruits. Then get into the other stuff. Try having smaller portions of the extra yummy things which will still satisfy your psychological need without going overboard with them. Ensuring your meals are balanced with a decent amount of fibre and protein will also help you feel satiated for longer.
Be realistic. If you know you have a tonne of social engagements and want to truly enjoy them all without feeling isolated then perhaps its time to take a realistic look at your current goals. Perhaps now isn’t the time to try and lose weight. This isn’t to say you should drop the ball totally and just eat like its the last supper, it means that maybe now it is just a good time to maintain your current physique/weight. That in itself is a worthy goal.
Stay hydrated. Here in Australia, Christmas is our hottest part of the year so ensure you are drinking at least 2L of water per day, more in hotter weather and if you’re active. Always check your urine for cues about your hydration status.
Keep active! The holidays should not mean you completely let go of all your exercise habits. If you are on holidays from work or study you potentially have more time to be active than you would in your standard work week. Even if you’ve got the kids at home get them involved. Take them down to the park for a run or kick the ball around, take them for a bike/scooter ride. Not only will you all get some movement in, you’re setting good foundations for your child’s longterm approach to a healthy lifestyle.
Don’t turn up hungry to an event. Make sure you’ve at least had a decent snack prior to showing up. We know when we’re hungry we tend to leave our rational thinking behind us and focus purely on getting our blood sugar levels up and quickly.
Get enough sleep! Try to keep your usual sleep and wake patterns throughout the holiday break. This might not be possible if you want to see the new year in, but as a once off it probably isn’t a big deal. Being constantly tired may make you less active and more likely to reach for the high carb sugary snacks to try and give you an energy boost.
Last but not least, manage your stress and enjoy the holidays. Spend time with family and friends and time alone to reconnect with yourself. This year has been nothing short of crazy for everyone, so taking some time out to think about what you have achieved in spite of the crazy and what you want to achieve next year is important!
Let me know your thoughts and comments or share any other tips if you have them x
