Xmas tips & weight management

Enjoy yourself and keep the extra Lbs at bay this Christmas & New Year! Here's my tips and they may not be what you think!!

The time of year calls for lots of celebration, indulgence and luxuries. Quite rightly so! We get opportunities to unwind, relax and enjoy some great company. Even with this all happening you don’t have to completely steer off course with your health and fitness journey.

Here are some considerations and tips to guide you through

#1 be honest with yourself about the time of year. Don’t fight it. Lots of negative associations and feelings will come along if you do; including lack of enjoyment, guilt and regret. This impacts you physically as well as mentally and emotionally. Your friends and family will likely want you to get involved and take part, let’s not forget you may want to get involved too. This for many includes alcohol and lots of foods at various points. Don’t take an all or nothing approach. Get involved but set your standards on consumption and participation in advance.

#2 stay relative to your routine. In terms of food this means keep grazing to a minimum. Keep in line with your usual meal frequency; certainly enjoy some luxuries at these times. If you usually workout in the morning upon waking continue to do so, at home, outside or the gym. If you work out later in the day again do that. This will also influence food and alcohol consumption in your favour. Keeping priorities in check

#3 Consume foods until satisfied at each sitting. Don’t feel you have to continue to eat past being satisfied. You aren’t making up for anything in terms of food choice or quantity.

#4 linking with the previous tip; take your time at each meal. Allow for time to digest and engage in conversation. Chew your foods properly and your satiety will come at the right time ensuring you do not over eat unknowingly.

#5 Eat in order of importance around your plate. Ideally proteins first along with vegetables, save the roasters and/or mash for last. Ultimately this ensures you get the essential nutrients in before getting full.

#6 drink plenty of water. The health and well being benefits of drinking water are plain to see and well documented. On a typical day most people do not consume enough, so it’s very important that it doesn’t become even less over this period. Make water a priority each day.

#7 Show as much gratitude and attention to your friends and family as humanly possible. Ditch social media and screens as much and for as long as possible. These offer distraction and often lead to judgement and comparisons that are not necessary and if we are honest, not important in the slightest. Detox the technology and this will bring about some great head space and calm. We can forgive the children playing their new games or computers for an amount of time but let’s not forget the most important thing we have; those around us.

I’m confident if you can apply my top tips for the time of year you will have a great occasion and not at the expense of your health.

There is no need for calorie counting or pressure with the above lifestyle interventions and food considerations.

Have a fantastic Christmas & New Year. I wish you the very most happiness and fulfillment.