We all know the drill. Eat, drink and be merry over the festive season and then do a January detox. But what if you could have fun over Christmas without putting on half a stone, perhaps only a pound or two? Wouldn’t that make the cold and dreary January easier to cope with? Here are my top tips on how to stay healthy over Christmas:
Tip #1 – If there’s something really yummy and Christmassy you want to eat, go for it.
Mince pies, eggnog, Christmas pudding – go wild! But do you really need to dip in to the Quality Street at 8am or eat a platter of cheese at midnight?! (I’ve used these examples as they’ve both things I’ve done!!) Most of us end up just eating for the sake of it at Christmas and lose our self-restraint, for no good reason, then regret it in January. Another good rule to adapt is you can go for it on Christmas Day, but be sensible over the rest of the festive period. In general, anything you only have at Christmas, make the most of, anything else – save yourself an extra notch on your belt.
Tip #2 – Try and keep some part of your normal routine going.
If you always get up and go to the gym, why can’t you continue that most days over Christmas? And if you juice every morning, why can’t you keep doing that? At a bare minimum, try and start your day with a good breakfast which is full of protein, this will give your body a good start to the day, keep you fuller for longer and may help with cravings. It’ll be a weight off your mind (and waist!) to know you’ve done something healthy for yourself that day and you won’t feel bad when tucking in to the chocolate orange. Most people end up drinking every night and not getting any sleep for most of December due to all the socialising. Take 1 or 2 nights off a week and get an early night. This will stop your adrenal glands going in to overdrive, producing lots of cortisol and that in turn makes you crave sugary and salty foods more.
Tip #3 – Take some supplements.
When you are over-indulging in rich foods and drink, it’s a good idea to take some probiotics and digestive enzymes to help your gut cope with it all. All the late nights can leave your immune system a little weak, so it is good to take a supplement that supports your immune system, such as Bionutri Elderberry Complex or Nutri Advanced Immunoblast. A low vitamin D will affect your energy so take a supplement – which most people should take throughout winter as we don’t get enough sunlight to keep levels optimum.
Tip #4 – Look at why you are over-eating and drinking.
If it’s genuinely enjoyable then go for it. But Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many people and if it’s to fill a void in your life or block out feelings then look at ways to start addressing these issues. Stress affects how our immune system works and puts us at risk of serious health problems, so make it a priority to address this in 2019.
And lastly, have a great time! Spend time with people you love and enjoy the holidays!
