Christmas and the holidays are only a few sleeps away so here a just some ways you can still have all the fun and prevent extra weight gain by following a few simple tips.

1. Keep active

Using this time of year is a great way to spend time with family and friends but doesn’t need to revolve around food. Long walks, bike rides or cricket down at the beach can be very social and it will also get your heart rate up. Planning ahead will help you get out and about.  If you are going away speak to your personal trainer and get some great home workouts written up for you and make a plan of when you are going to exercise and schedule them into your diary. 

And after that big meal on Christmas day we all seem to consume, go for a walk instead of having a snooze.

2. Schedule some days where you allow yourself to indulge

Part of the Christmas enjoyment comes from eating and drinking our favourite foods and drinks and you cannot deny yourselves some of this life’s simple pleasures.
Balance is the key to enjoying the festive season and this includes balancing out our meals each day. Allowing yourself to have one indulgent day per week is usually OK, even if we are trying to lose weight.  If we were to allocate, for example, Christmas day and New Years Eve as two of those days and plan your meals for the remainder of the time we will still be able to stay on track.  As most of us have more than one Christmas and New Year’s celebration scheduled on our diaries the best we can do is plan our meals and make some good food choices over the whole holiday period it will make a difference.

3. Watch your portion sizes and eat SLOWLY

 Just because your dinner plate has been loaded up with roast turkey, ham, pork and potato lathered in gravy with all the trimmings doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. Remember to eat slowly you will enjoy the flavours for longer and be less likely to overeat and go back for seconds. 

Allowing ourselves to taste whatever we want in smaller portions so we don’t feel deprived is a great idea during this time of the year; so is drinking plenty of water to keep us feeling fuller and properly hydrated.  Also try not to pick at foods before or after a meal. 

4. Socialise rather than eating

Stand away from the food, the closer to the food you are the more likely you are to graze.

The festive season really is about spending time with family and friends, and although the food can be amazing, it’s generally the socialising we do around food at this time of year that is the most fun. 

Another consideration is your alcohol consumption. As alcohol is a common accompaniment to any party and social get-together it can be hard to avoid, but keep in mind it is high in kilojoules, which does contributes to weight gain. If consumed in large amounts it can also take the place of nutritious foods, impacting our health.  And don’t to forget make sure you space out your “Alcoholic drinks” with plenty of hydrating fluids.

5. Eat Fresh

If you have choices choose the fresh food options as much as possible. Think salads, grilled meats and fresh fruits. You will feel much better having made the choice for lighter food, especially if you plan on heading to the beach later or getting into that little black dress for a New Year’s party.

But most of all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.