Festive nutrition - damage limitation!
12 boxes of chocolates…11 mince pies…10 pigs in blankets….9 glasses of wine…
Sound like a day in the life of your Christmas holidays? After all, it’s a time to relax and enjoy family time and great food.
Right?
Most of us over indulge during the festive period with the common battlecry ‘I worked hard for this all year’ and ‘I’ll start again on the 2nd January’. And there’s nothing wrong with either of these statements, but let’s have a think about the impact.
‘I worked hard for this all year’
Yes, you probably have and absolutely enjoy a bit of indulgence without the ‘guilt’. (And, for the record, no one should ever feel guilt about eating anything!) But do you really want to undo all that hard work in the space of a week?
‘I’ll start again on the 2nd January’
Remember when you first decided to start eating healthier? If you’re at the stage where eating healthier is now a habit rather than a conscious decision, do you really want to go back and start all over again?
Now, we’re not for one minute saying you shouldn’t enjoy all the usual festive treats or even think about bringing the measuring scales to the Christmas dinner table! We’re all entitled to join in the celebrations and maybe gain a pound or 2 over the holidays - but there are things we can do to limit the damage and enjoy ourselves at the same time.
Mac’s guide to enjoying Christmas without undoing all your good work…
DECEMBER
This is the first trap! Yes, the festive season may start early and, yes, it’s a lovely time of year - but that doesn’t mean you should drop your guard. Don’t fall into the trap of eating one mince pie on the 1st December and then deciding you’ve done it now, so you ‘might as well just stay ‘off the wagon’ till January’! There are just over 3 weeks in December before Christmas Day, and if you lose an average of 1-2 pounds per week that’s a potential 6 pound weight loss before Xmas. So just think - what would you rather be on Xmas day, almost half a stone lighter or half a stone heavier?
Have the odd Xmas treat or day out and enjoy them - just don’t let it roll on to the whole month of December!
BUYING CHOCOLATES
If you buy chocolates or biscuits as a gift for someone, wrap them straight away! We’ve all been there with the Saturday night munchies and the I’ll just open these and get another one tomorrow! Before you know it you’ve bought the same present 4 times over… Don’t pretend you’ve never done it!
Don’t fall into the multi-buy trap, either. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it - or if you really can’t resist a bargain, hand the extras into a neighbour!
XMAS DAY
It’s Christmas Day - enjoy it!
THE ‘INBETWEEN’ PERIOD
The No Man’s Land between Christmas and New Year. That time when we don’t know what day it is and lose track of breakfast/lunch/dinner. This is where the damage is done…
After Eights for breakfast, anyone?
Have some sort of routine, and eat proper meals - even if that means starting with breakfast at 1pm! Otherwise you’ll end up grazing all day and thinking you haven’t eaten much when you’ve actually eaten 2 family bags of crisps, a selection box and a block of cheese!
Have healthy eating/no alcohol days at least every other day. Again, we’re not saying don’t enjoy indulgent foods. But, apart from the obvious health benefits, have you ever got to the point in the festive season where you’re eating for the sake of it and have actually stopped enjoying chocolate, etc? You’ll appreciate your favourites more if you give your body a break. Having said that, don’t try to make up for indulgences by drastically cutting calories. Trying to live on air and water for a day will just have you reaching for the biscuit tin and is not healthy! Just have a day with your usual calorie allowance and healthy meals with plenty of water, fruit and veg.
Only eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full. Sounds simple, but most of us don’t do this during the holidays when we have a kitchen full of goodies! Go in to put the kettle on and suddenly you’re having a buffet of mince pies, pigs in blankets, crackers and cheese, when you weren’t hungry in the first place.
Be active. Most of us are out of our usual routine at this time of year, and classes, etc. have stopped - but that’s not an excuse to lounge around in jammies all day! (PJ days are awesome, just not every day!) Wrap up and get out for a walk (even if it’s raining!). Take the kids to the park. Give the dog longer walks. Just do something! Not only will it make you feel better, it’ll also get you away from the fridge for a bit…
EXCESS FOOD
It’s the Sunday night before you’ve promised yourself to get back into it, but you’ve still got a kitchen full of Xmas treats. What do you do? Stay up till the early hours to finish it all? Instead, put all the unopened food in a bag and take it to your local food bank.
GETTING BACK TO IT
Make a commitment. Book classes or PT sessions in advance. Get a friend involved - not only will you be able to do it together, but if you make arrangements with a friend you’re less likely to cancel.
But, whatever you do, don’t beat yourself up about it! If you’ve overdulged, it’s done - draw a line under it. Come January, wipe the slate clean and make a commitment to be fitter and healthier in 2021!
Mary-Anne Cameron (Mac) is a qualified Personal Trainer and nutrional advisor. To find out more, contact her at mac@smmacombatsports.co.uk