Christmas Healthy Tips
Ahh the silly season – packed full of Christmas parties, family gatherings and BBQs with friends- all great fun but can make it hard at times to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
While it is necessary to enjoy all the great times the festive season brings, it is also important that your health goals are not jeopardised in the progress. Have no fear- the following tips can help to maintain those healthy habits over the festive season:
- Weight Maintenance
Don’t aim for weight loss over this time, aim for weight maintenance. This takes the pressure off and realistically allows you to enjoy some of your favourite foods.
- Mindfulness
Practice mindfulness and eat because you truly enjoy the food – not purely because it is there. A good strategy is to pick your favourite food (trifle anyone?) and sit down and really enjoy it (without the guilt!). Then you might find it easier to give the other foods that you don’t enjoy as much a miss. Also remember it is okay to say no to your pushy family member who is insisting you have a 3rd piece of Christmas cake!
- Routine
Try to maintain a sense of routine with majority of your meals. This would mean if you have planned on eating out for dinner that evening, enjoy your usual breakfast, lunch and snacks that day, rather than indulging at every meal.
- Ditch the diet mentality
Make small healthier choices at each meal that will add up over the course of the day. Aim for a sense of balance rather than saying “oh well I just had some chocolate, I have blown my diet for this week, I will start again on Monday….in the new year”
- Get in the kitchen
Use the extra time you may have off from work to try some new summer salad recipes. Make it a goal to try 2 new veggie packed recipes per week; even better take one along to a family BBQ for everyone to try!
Most importantly, remember to enjoy yourself and aim for balance not perfection over the holiday season.