The festive season is now around the corner and the good news is you can enjoy and indulge in your favourite food and drinks without pounds piling on and feeling guilty after the festivities are over.
1. Don’t start too early!
It’s so easy to slip up and give in to the mince pies, chocolates, mulled wines, hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows that are so readily available at the coffee shops and in the supermarkets.
Keep in mind that your Christmas will be a lot more special if you leave these treats right up to the celebrations. Plus it will be much easier for you to go back to your healthy eating habits if you indulged your taste buds for just a few days rather than the whole month.
2. Christmas is not just about food!
Remember that Christmas is a time for families and joy so take some time to do something fun and active. Ice rinks and dry ski slopes are very popular with both kids and adults. Winter walks on the beach or in the forest are great fun too.
You can also make your own Christmas decorations, try new crafts or a new activity. Play active Wii games or table games. These will reduce the boredom and take your mind off food.
3. Plan ahead!
Plan your Christmas dinner:
- Include a low fat and low calorie starter – tomato or vegetable soup is a great option.
- Make sure there is a lot of green and vegetables and salad available on the table.
- Pile on the protein. At Christmas dinner this means an extra helping of turkey and at buffets, tucking into prawns, satay sticks and marinated chicken bites.
- Fill your plate high with traditional seasonal vegetables such as red cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts, swede and cauliflower. The more colours you have on your plate, the greater the variety of nutrients.
- Enjoy your festive drinks but be aware of calories. The best choice is to stick to wine spritzers and alternate with water. Read more in our alcohol guide.
- To make it easier to skip pudding seconds have a dark chocolate mint straight after your first portion of sweet. With the minty taste in your mouth you’ll be less tempted to have anything else.
- Trying to lose weight during Christmas may seem crazy and impossible. However, there are ways you can enjoy the festive season without piling extra pounds on and regretting it in January when you finally have the courage to stand on those scales and look at the numbers on the little screen.
There is still time to lose weight before the parties kick in. Impress your friends and family by looking slimmer this year. At The Slimming Clinic we are giving you amazing offers to help you look your best this year.