It’s that time of year again – lights everywhere, beautifully adorned Christmas trees, festive music, warm Christmas cheer exchanged as you cross paths with friends and strangers alike. It’s the time of year where we wind down after a challenging year and we take the time to invest in people – whether its boozy corporate Christmas parties, client lunches, quick Christmas coffee meetups, numerous gatherings with friends and family over lunch and dinner, you can bet your bottom dollar that it will all involve copious amounts of food and alcohol. All that effort you have put in over the year eating well, exercising, and investing in your heath, are you ready to shift your focussed mindset and risk derailing your momentum with a couple of weeks of Christmas blowout?!
Fortunately, there is lots you can do to ensure that you keep on track with your nutrition and focus without seeming all ‘bah, humbug!’ when you’re out with your friends. After all nobody wants an Ebenezer Scrooge in their midst! Here are 5 key Bodyplot tips to help you effortlessly glide through this festive season with your goals still at the forefront of your mind but without taking away all the enjoyment and fun that should be had at this time.
Santa always likes a plan and so should you!
It is with meticulous planning that Santa and his elves get around to all the houses they need to visit on Xmas Eve. Take a leaf from his book and make sure you PLAN, PLAN, PLAN! Make sure you plan your meals ahead of time, If you’re going out, check the menus in advance and choose the meal you will eat that evening and plan your other meals during the day around it so that your day is balanced. Stay focussed on your selection when you get to the restaurant and don’t look at the menu again when you get there so you get tempted or swayed to choose something else. If you are having a dinner party at someone’s house ask for the menu in advance so you can plan your eatin strategy in advance.
Eat well for the whole day – rule out that crazy chrimbo snack binge!
As with the above tip, don’t let one meal throw you off BUT equally prepare for that meal by ensuring you eat consistently beforehand. Instead of going crazy on christmas snacks throughout the day find healthy alternatives. This way you can achieve your macros for the day and still enjoy the meal out in the evening and maybe the odd cheeky treat. Remember also that changes only ever happen through consistent behaviour so if you are being consistent in the day, you are less likely to let yourself go in the evening.
Switch it up and indulge in some healthy alternatives for your christmas faves
Everyone loves a good old christmas dinner with all the trimmings and we are by no means suggesting you forego your christmas day meal. But there are some better choices you can make. Why not make some easy switches on your christmas plate? Instead of roast potatoes laden in fat or buttery mash potatoes why not make some baked sweet potatoes or cauliflower mash? How about grilling your food or using an air fryer instead of deep frying? Replace panko breadcrumbs with oats? The most dangerous dishes on the table are the vegetables cooked in creamy sauces: You know the candied sweet potatoes and the broccoli topped with cheese sauce aren’t good for you. No, you can’t coat your peas and carrots in melted butter either. Reach for steamed vegetables or flavour them with olive oil, lemon and herbs and you’ll save about 150 calories per serving. And finally remember your portion control. You don’t have to go for second and third helpings. Eat mindfully and consciously; take your time and you will feel satisfied without having to stuff yourself with additional helpings.
A family that’s healthy together, stays together
Get the whole family involved this Christmas. Christmas really does not have to equate to bad food and sitting around watching movies all day. Involve the whole family in eating well and talk about why you have made these changes. By educating yourselves all together, it becomes a family goal and something that you are all invested in together. More over if you are all eating the same meal together, it is easier to succeed. After that Christmas meal make sure you all spend some time outdoors together having a long walk to get that digestion going and keep on top of the exercise. Its also a fantastic way to bond with the family being outdoors with nature.
Stay focused on your daily goals
Just because it’s Christmas this does not give you license to take a break from your routine! Remember to stick to all other components of your journey. Keep your stress levels low; big family gatherings especially at Christmas can often get that blood pressure rising but keep your stress levels low by meditating for ten minutes or doing some yoga, get your 8 hours of sleep a day to keep you focused and stress free. Make sure you find thirty minutes at the beginning of your day to exercise and get those endorphins flowing. And most importantly STAY HYDRATED! Stick to your two litres of water a day. We appreciate the temptation of the free-flowing alcohol. If you are having the odd cheeky glass, go for low calorie alcohols such as gin, Or replace alcohol with plenty of sparkling water with fresh fruit or lemon/lime. Not only does this feel like a nice drink but helps you stay on top pf your hydration target.
While we all love the atmosphere and joyous spirit that the festive season brings, it’s important to keep a bit of balance in relation to what you put into your mouth over the coming weeks. We’re not going to be killjoys and tell you to only eat alfalfa sprouts and activated almonds leading up to Christmas. But do try out the above tips to stay balanced and focused on your goals. Merry Xmas and enjoy the festivities and the food!