Christmas is one of the most festive holidays of the year. You spend a great time with your family and friends – laughing and catching up as to how the year went, drinking and eating a lot, and partying all night long. You may not notice, but the most festive holidays may also be the most stressful ones. There’s so much to prepare before Christmas that you end up lacking sleep, getting stressed, and may feel irritable at times.

A recent study also showed that weight gained during this period usually occurs around the belly and stays. Abdominal fat is the most dangerous to your health with an increased risk of diabetes, insulin resistance, and whole-body inflammation.

Wouldn’t you want to spend the Christmas Holiday and welcome the New Year with a refreshed mind and a healthy body?

Here are a few tips to enjoy Christmas celebrations and feel great: 

• Plan to fill up on protein foods, vegetables, or salads. You will be less likely to pig out on the sweets, help control the sugar cravings, and the ‘Oh no, I’ve put on an extra 2 kg’.
• Avoid those sugary drinks that contain on average 16 teaspoons of sugar per can. Drink either still, lightly sparkling water, or soda water instead. Adding a little lime or lemon for taste helps to alkaline the body and counteract those acidic foods we eat too much of.
• Remember to not drink too much liquid close to mealtime to allow good digestion in the stomach.
• Avoid going to parties hungry. Eat something light beforehand to reduce your chances of giving in to high carb party food.
• Limit pies, sausage rolls, spinach triangles, chips, corn chips, lollies, chocolates, cakes, and slices.
• Allow yourself to eat one yummy sweet only on Xmas day, maybe that Xmas pudding, then be good over the next few days so it doesn’t attach to your tummy or thighs.
• Adding healthy fats such as butter and coconut oil to your meal will help you feel full, leading to less risk of overeating.
• Watch your portion sizes, don’t overfill your plate.
• Avoid binge drinking. Limit to 1 or 2 standard drinks a day or even better, stick to your flavoured mineral water to reduce your risk of harm! Most don’t realise alcohol is a carbohydrate and adds to the calorie content of your meal. Drinking also puts stress on the liver and can increase weight gain.
• Make exercise social. Go for a walk with family and friends in the afternoon instead of sitting around. Throw a Frisbee with the kids, enjoy a walk on the beach or a light swim. We are designed to move, so get out there and have some fun.

Instead of drowning under pressure, try to lower those stress hormones a notch, aim for a relaxed enjoyable time to recharge your batteries for a fresh start to the new year, continue planning a healthy diet, catch up on much-needed sleep, turn off the phone, and spend time with the kids.

After the dust settles in the New Year and a non-diet approach to weight loss appeals to you, come and have a chat with me! I can help you feel good about yourself again.

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