Managing the Festive Period with Health in Mind
Managing the festive period with health in mind!
Christmas is coming, and with it, comes lots of lovely celebration, time with family and friends, an ever-growing mound of tempting treats at home, festive food at work and party invitations galore.
This can be a challenging time for the health conscious but a few simple habits can help us to navigate the festive season and keep our wellbeing intact:
Maintain a Normal Routine
Routine often disappears at this time of year, but it’s important to maintain some structure. Planning helps. Start writing your plan today so that you plan meals and stock up on healthy foods to ensure there are good choices available for everyone. If you usually eat three meals a day, try to stick with that. Don’t let yourself get too hungry. Eating regular, balanced meals and snacks helps avoid overindulging in high-calorie, low-nutrient foods.
Think protein at every meal and snack and try to stick to your normal portion size too, remember there is more than one day in the festive period, so you don't need to eat everything in one go!
· Quarter of your plate: any protein option
· Half of your plate: all green and non-starchy vegetables
If you usually exercise, stick to your routine. We should all be doing a minimum of 150 minutes a week of vigorous activity , which is only about 22 minutes a day! Get outside for a walk or run and enjoy your surroundings wherever that may be, put on some music and dance around, carry your shopping a bit further, encourage the family to get out in the fresh air with you for a morning walk which is a great way to start the day and spend quality family time together too. There are endless ways to get in some movement, but finding what you enjoy is the key. Movement doesn’t have to be structured, but aim for consistency.
Balance rather than deprivation
Denying yourself the foods you love during the festive period will only end badly! Concentrate on 'balance' rather than 'deprivation', allow yourself to enjoy your favourite holiday treats in moderation. Think about the 80/20 rule, if you are doing well, eating healthy and being active and stress free 80 per cent of the time it is ok to eat things you wouldn’t normally eat the other 20 per cent. This is more realistic and much more achievable.
Stay in control.
Take some healthy food options with you to parties over Christmas. It's a win-win situation for everyone, as your host and probably the other guests will love you for it and you will have options that you're comfortable with from which to choose.
Try things like:
· Hummus or bean dips with raw vegetables
· Stuffed vegetables or baked courgette fritters
· Tomato and mozzarella cups with pesto
· Smoked fish pâté or salmon terrines
· Devilled eggs — they’re making a comeback!
When eating out, fill yourself up with the good stuff. Have a starter and a main course, or just a main course, and try to avoid dessert, bread, prawn crackers and watch out for the hidden sugar in sauces (Gravy, cranberry sauce, chilli dipping sauce)
Go easy on the alcohol
When it comes to alcohol, Christmas can be a time of major overindulgence. Try to be mindful of not just how much you are drinking, but what you are drinking. Festive drinks tend to be sweet cocktails and warming creamy drinks. Try cocktails with sparkling water , seasonal fruit and herbs such as rosemary and remember to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration. Don’t feel pressured to drink, aim to be the slowest drinker, or have a polite excuse ready if you’d prefer to skip it. Explore other ways to relax and enjoy the season that don’t revolve around alcohol.
Be kind to yourself and realistic
None of us are perfect. Christmas should be a time for fun and celebration, so be realistic with your time, and mindful of the impact saying yes to something has on your health and wellbeing. Maybe it's one party too many, or the financial pressure of buying gifts for everyone. Saying no feels empowering when you're saying it for the right reasons.
Sleep well.
Optimal sleep is important to manage the stress of this period and can also help to prevent weight gain, fatigue and succumbing to seasonal viruses. Too many late nights can impact the circadian rhythm (our body's internal clock) and set everything a little out of whack!
Christmas is about friends and family and shared moments. Enjoy them! Be grateful for the people around you and take care of yourself along the way.
Have a happy and healthy festive period.
Your Health Coach, Carrie