Christmas and the holidays can be a tricky time of year for those of us working so hard to get our summer bodies. You don’t want to ruin all the hard work you’ve just put in at the gym, but you also don’t want to miss out on the goodies at the work party table.
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There’s a few tricks that you can learn to stop weight gain, or really, too much weight gain over Christmas. Gaining weight over Christmas seems like something everyone does, but over the short period of about week, it can take you about three months to lose, it so don’t go with the herd.
Now some people will tell you relax about exercise and your healthy lifestyle around Christmas, but those are probably the people over indulging in ham and fruit mince pies. One of the best things to remember when you’re trying to keep healthy over Christmas is that you should listen to yourself and your body, not other people. When people tell you to have one more or to take the last piece of cake and you know you shouldn’t, politely refuse, saying that you’re totally stuffed and that you’ve had enough.
Portion size is another factor. During Christmas, there is usually an abundance of food with leftovers filling the fridge for the second round on Boxing Day. The fact that there is plenty of food means you think you can eat as much as possible to get rid of it all, but controlling your portion size allows you to enjoy a little bit of everything. If you’re set to have a Christmas lunch, choose a small amount from dishes and try to fill your plate with veggies and when it comes to the pudding, a small amount is enough, the same as if you were having it any other day.
Consistency is also key, as keeping up your exercise will keep your metabolism rolling so that your body can burn the food you’re consuming efficiently. If you’re away on holidays, try a hotel room workout or use the hotel gym. If you’re staying at a relatives house, you can do a great body-weight workout in the backyard and then finish it off with a walk or run. Try to get as much exercise, playing with the kids, going for a swim and doing other fun activities to make up for any extra snacks that have crept in.
Speaking of snacks, try to minimise the amount of naughty snacks you have, instead, picking vegetables, fruit or nuts to keep you sustained in-between. That’s not to say you can’t have a few bad snacks, but keep it minimal.
When you’re attending Christmas parties earlier in the season, it’s hard to not get into all the treats on offer. Ensure you have a meal before going to the party so that you’re not hungry and craving food. Again, choose your snacks carefully and try to limit your alcohol intake. If you will be drinking, avoid sugary mixers which make you drink your calories and stick to soda water.
Try not to buy too much food for your house as leftovers add extra kilos by letting the festive season run too long. Buy enough food so that you can feed everyone, but not so that you have a week’s worth of leftovers and a month’s worth of chocolate in your house. This also minimises wastage and stops you from overspending.
Enjoy your holidays and have some time to relax!
Images via reach-yourpeak.com and taste.com
