Staying healthy during the Festive Season |
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Partying, drinking, over-eating and indulging in some of your favourite foods is inevitable during the festive Christmas season, but you don’t have to let your health suffer. Here are some top tips to help you look and feel great without worrying you’re missing out on all the fun.
Exercise
It’s easy to let those winter blues grab a hold of us during the darker winter days. By keeping up with a small amount of exercise each day you will ensure serotonin levels in your body are kept topped up. Also, try taking your exercise outdoors for at least 20 minutes in the natural daylight, this will improve your mood and also allow your body to replenish its vitamin D. Remember you don’t have to do a 10k run, a simple brisk walk through the park will do.
Relaxation
Remember that you need to allow a little time to pamper yourself during this busy period. With Christmas presents to wrap, cards to write, over-excited children under your feet, you can easily begin to feel drained. It’s important to share the load with others and not to take on all the stress yourself. Simple things can help to relieve those pressures like reading a book for half an hour, taking part in your favourite yoga class or organising a treat every now and then. Remember, at least 7 hours’ sleep each night will prepare your body for the following day.
Diet
Mmmm yummy Christmas treats, how can you resist? Simple – you don’t have to resist, but just take care not to get too carried away. The calories you consume can easily add up and ruin all the good work you have done during the earlier part of the year. The chances are you’re going to consume a higher number of calories during this period, so set yourself a realistic revised daily target taking into account the days when you are going to go out for your Christmas dinners and parties. Incorporate healthy snacks into your day and reduce the number of treats you allow yourself so you limit the impact of the times when you’re indulging. Combine this with a revised but realistic exercise plan and you will face a less daunting January aftermath!
Temptation is sure to be the test, seeing all those rich, highly calorific foods may prove to be your weakness, but by replacing these with healthier Christmas snacks you won’t miss out.
Christmas Drinks
Amongst all the Christmas festivities there’s sure to be several occasions where you will be offered a drink or two. Here are a few things to keep in mind without dampening your spirits:
Stay safe
Alcohol can make you feel overly-confident and you could ultimately take more risks – know your limits. Always nominate a driver if you’re going to be indulging, and make sure you leave sufficient time before you next get in a car to drive.
Tags: Diet, drinking, fitness programme, healthier, metabolism, mood, nutrition, stress,
Exercise
It’s easy to let those winter blues grab a hold of us during the darker winter days. By keeping up with a small amount of exercise each day you will ensure serotonin levels in your body are kept topped up. Also, try taking your exercise outdoors for at least 20 minutes in the natural daylight, this will improve your mood and also allow your body to replenish its vitamin D. Remember you don’t have to do a 10k run, a simple brisk walk through the park will do.
Relaxation
Remember that you need to allow a little time to pamper yourself during this busy period. With Christmas presents to wrap, cards to write, over-excited children under your feet, you can easily begin to feel drained. It’s important to share the load with others and not to take on all the stress yourself. Simple things can help to relieve those pressures like reading a book for half an hour, taking part in your favourite yoga class or organising a treat every now and then. Remember, at least 7 hours’ sleep each night will prepare your body for the following day.
Diet
Mmmm yummy Christmas treats, how can you resist? Simple – you don’t have to resist, but just take care not to get too carried away. The calories you consume can easily add up and ruin all the good work you have done during the earlier part of the year. The chances are you’re going to consume a higher number of calories during this period, so set yourself a realistic revised daily target taking into account the days when you are going to go out for your Christmas dinners and parties. Incorporate healthy snacks into your day and reduce the number of treats you allow yourself so you limit the impact of the times when you’re indulging. Combine this with a revised but realistic exercise plan and you will face a less daunting January aftermath!
Temptation is sure to be the test, seeing all those rich, highly calorific foods may prove to be your weakness, but by replacing these with healthier Christmas snacks you won’t miss out.
- Why not take some homemade open-top mince pies into the office – they will contain less pastry therefore less calories. You could even use filo pastry or add some fruit into the mincemeat making them lighter with a few less calories.
- Crisps and dips are popular too, so instead of cutting them out completely why not swap those highly calorific cheese based dips to tomato or yogurt based ones or better still make your own by mixing some herbs or spinach with natural yogurt and use oatcakes to dip.
- Use raw veg such as carrot or celery sticks to dip in your dips.
- Substitute that Christmas pudding with an equally tasty low fat one or make your own without suet.
Christmas Drinks
Amongst all the Christmas festivities there’s sure to be several occasions where you will be offered a drink or two. Here are a few things to keep in mind without dampening your spirits:
- Remember to eat something before you start drinking as alcohol makes you hungrier and hence more likely to indulge.
- Too reduce your overall intake alternate each alcoholic drink with a glass of water or non-alcoholic drink.
- Alcohol is high in calories and hence not good for the waistline! Try and go for lower calorie drinks such as gin & slimline tonic.
- Avoid binge-drinking, stick to the recommended daily alcohol allowance (men 3-4 units, women 2-3)
- After a night on the town you’ll inevitably yearn for fatty foods to counterbalance the blood sugar slump. By filling your cupboards with only healthy foods you’re less likely to eat junk when drunk. The morning-after cravings can also be satisfied with healthier, vitamin enriched foods which will be much better for you than the usual fry-up.
Stay safe
Alcohol can make you feel overly-confident and you could ultimately take more risks – know your limits. Always nominate a driver if you’re going to be indulging, and make sure you leave sufficient time before you next get in a car to drive.
Tags: Diet, drinking, fitness programme, healthier, metabolism, mood, nutrition, stress,