Guys, let's be honest, for some people Christmas is a scary time.It's a time when there is soooo much delicious, tempting food, and for those of you that are following a healthy eating plan it is very difficult to stay on track during this indulgent time of year.
Here's some tips for you that just might help you get through the silly season... without ending up looking like Mr Claus himself.
1. Don't deprive yourself
A recent study and other past research has shown that deprivation of food actually results in more food being eaten in the long run. I'm sure you can think of a time when you've had a craving for a certain food, let's say chocolate. You might say to yourself, "No, I'm being good, I'll have a piece of fruit". So you eat your piece of fruit which is nice but it doesn't quite hit the spot. So you make yourself a hot chocolate, thinking that the hot chocolate will eliminate the craving. It may, or it may not. Everyone is different. Let's say it doesn't. So you are still imagining that delicious piece of chocolate and can't get it out of your mind. So what do you do? Give in and eat it anyway.
Now looking back when you do the calculations, you've eaten a piece of fruit, a cup of hot chocolate, AND that piece of chocolate you craved in the first place. If you had just had that little square of chocolate you would have saved yourself around 1000 kilojoules. You may then also eat more than 1 piece of chocolate since you missed it so much, and that then adds even more kilojoules.
Moral of the story? Depriving yourself often brings out that rebel inside you that makes you want it more. Giving in and allowing yourself to have it will actually mean that you will want that food less (see Dr George Blair-West's book, an amazing read.)
2. Don't eat too much
You are probably loving my advice after point number 1. But this doesn't mean you get to eat the whole box of chocolate... (I said 1 piece remember.)
Just because it's 'Christmas' does not give you an excuse to overindulge. This is just a way that people like to justify to themselves that it's ok to eat and drink more than they should... because.. it's Christmas right? I can bet my bottom dollar I can guess the same group of people's new years resolution.
My advice is to plan ahead and stick to your usual healthy eating habits. And if you would like to have a little treat, do so, but have 1, not 10. Don't overdo it. Some foods you may not be able to stop at 1 (tim tams are those for me), so if you know this, don't let it even go near your lips and physically sit yourself away from that food if you need to. Remember your health and wellness goals and keep them at the front of your mind throughout the entire silly season. (My motivation is imagining myself in a bikini.... what works for you?)
3. Don't get boozed
Drink responsibly. Yeah, heard it all before? Well it's time to take note. Let's take a look at the maths:Carbs yield 16 kJ per gram
Protein yields 17 kJ per gram
Alcohol yields 29 kJ per gram
Fat yields 37 kJ per gram
What does this mean? You can easily consume a lot of kilojoules in alcohol, as alcohol comes 2nd highest to fat in terms of the amount of calories you consume. Go easy on the alcohol and choose low alcohol wines and beers, and if you like spirits, drink them slowly on the rocks or with a mineral water. Stay away from soft drinks, they are full of sugar and will rot your teeth, just like your mother said.
My favourite party trick is to have a water between every wine. It keeps me hydrated and means less of a hangover the next day, which is always a bonus.
And if you are in a social situation where you'll cop a bit of stick for having a "Water... what??!!", then why not order a mineral water with fresh lime, which you can disguise as a vodka lime and soda. No one will know the difference!
4. Winning grandma's heart doesn't mean eating her entire plum pudding
Remember that showing your love to others doesn't have to mean ruining your healthy eating plans. Think of some non-food ways that you can show your friends and family your love and appreciation this Christmas.
Also, often when people know that you are trying to eat healthy and/or lose weight they will not only be understanding when you politely decline their food offering, but they will then be supportive of you by not continuing to make a big deal about why you keep refusing their food. They won't take it personally as they know it has nothing to do with their cooking or the food that they are providing.
Being honest when it comes to your healthy eating goals is always the best policy, and it will help to gain the support of others to keep you on track.
5. Two words is all you need
Don't be afraid to say "No thanks"
It takes a bit of courage but give it a go and you will feel much better about sticking to your goals. Remember to acknowledge how amazing the food looks and thank them for the offer. Being appreciative doesn't always have to correlate to you eating their food.
I like to remember that the person trying to convince you to eat that high fat, high calorie food is not going to be there to make you feel better the next day, when you are standing in front of the mirror, feeling awful and wishing you hadn't overindulged the night before. Stay in control of what you want to do and how much you want to eat, and don't be persuaded by others against your will.
6. Don't give yourself an excuse not to exercise
If you enjoy your physical activity, don't change your habits just because it's Christmas. Staying active over the Christmas period will mean that you may be able to get away with eating a couple of extra chrissy treats without putting on weight. It will also make you feel good about yourself and feel less sluggish.
If you are travelling somewhere away from home this Christmas, find a gym in the area you are staying in, suss it out and make sure you go (don't forget to pack your gym clothes and sneakers). My gym, Fitness First has a membership option where I can go to any Fitness First in Australia, which makes it easier when it comes to travel and means there's no excuses for me not to go.
Not a gym person? There are a thousand other ways to get active. Go for a walk, jog, play some backyard cricket, kick the footy, walk the dogs, these are just a couple that come to mind. Get creative and get the whole family involved, and have fun!
7. Sharing is caring
If you get chocolate or other yummy food as a chrissy present this year, don't be greedy, share it with your loved ones. The more you share, the better you will feel and the less calories you will consume.
Christmas is a lovely time of year that brings friends, family and food together. We often share many special moments around food, and it's easy to get swept away with the festivities and eat and drink much more than we mean to. This Christmas, why not keep focused on maintaining your healthy habits, with both eating and physical activity. I'd love to hear any other tips you have on how to stay in control this silly season.
Merry Christmas to you and thanks for your amazing support this year. I have loved every minute of sharing my passions with you, and I hope you've learnt a thing or two along the way.
0 comments:
Post a Comment