Our favourite festive tips
The festive season can be a difficult time to stay on track with your diet and lifestyle programme. It is a season traditionally filled with family occasions and social events that can lead to temptation and undoing the worked hard you have achieved throughout the year.
Try planning ahead
Take time to plan the meals you will be having at home during the festive season. You are more likely to plan healthier meals if you think about it in advance. Focus your meals on healthy lean proteins and plenty of fibre such as wholegrains and vegetables, that will make you feel fuller for longer, and avoid the temptation of snacking.
However, you can eat well and enjoy the festive season! Enjoyable food does not always have to be unhealthy and affect your weight loss. A great way to have what you enjoy but keep to your diet and lifestyle plan is to try making your own. By controlling the ingredients, you can be in control of what you are eating, and you can make healthier swaps.
Watch your fluids
We never really think about the extra energy in what we drink and over the Christmas period it’s easy for it to mount up. Be aware of the extra calories in what you drink. Festive drinks can contain a lot of sugar and empty calories and easily contribute towards a weight gain.
Enjoy Christmas Day
Christmas day is only one day so celebrate! It’s what you do after that day that counts, one day isn’t going to ruin your plan but if you have a full week of over-indulgence then this is more of an issue. After Christmas day just draw a line under it, get back onto your plan and the holiday season will have very little effect on your plan.
Don’t be human bin
Most of us do not want to waste food and instead of throwing it out we consume it ourselves. Only buy what you need for the guests that are coming and minimise waste and over-eating.
Get on the move
Simple ways to incorporate some movement over the festive season are things like going for a family walk as the turkey is cooking on Christmas day or getting wrapped up and walking after dinner, as it will help with your digestion!
Remember losing weight and maintaining it is all about balance, but the important thing to do it to make sure you enjoy Christmas. If you have eaten more than you planned to, one day off diet is not going to undo all your hard work as long as you get back to your healthy choices the next day.