My 5 top tips for the Festive Season
Christmas can be a very busy time and sometimes looking after ourselves can go out of the the window but that doesn’t have to be the case. Every little helps when it comes to what we can do to help support our bodies and it’s the little things that really count. I want to share with you my top 5 tips for the festive season:
Stay hydrated – this is key. Take a big glass of water with you to bed and as soon as you wake up in the morning drink it. We don’t usually drink any water for around 8 hours over night but all that time we are still losing water through breathing and sweating. Also, if you have had alcohol the night before this can worsen dehydration. When we are dehydrated we feel tired, dizzy, hungry, irritable, and unable to focus. Keep hydration up during the day is important too but if you are not a big fan of plain water, it isn’t the only option. Opt for herbal teas rather than the usual tea and coffee, fizzy water or coconut water. Carry a reusable bottle around with you at all times so you remember to drink. I am personally not very good with drinking cold water at this time of year so I fill mine up with hot water and sometimes put a herbal tea bag in there and keep topping it up during the day.
Eat a nourishing breakfast – it might be tempting to skip breakfast if you think you’ll be eating lots later in the day but this deprivation can often make us even more hungry and likely to binge later on. So, have a tasty and nutritious breakfast containing some protein (fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, beans etc) like peanut butter on toast with some berries, eggs on toast with some spinach, or porridge with some nuts and seeds, which will help provide your body with the nutrients it needs to function and will help your energy levels up during the day.
Don’t forget your fruit and vegetables – fruit and veg provide important fibre to help support our digestion and nutrients to help our bodies function properly. They also help to keep us full until our next meal and help balance our energy levels. So, load up your plate with all those different vegetables - brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower etc. If you are eating out just order a side of these with your main meal. My favourite easy peeler Clementine’s are all around at this time of year and these are great as a pudding alternative if you don’t fancy pudding or as a snack.
Incorporate movement into your day – if you are too busy and can’t make it to your usual gym class or session, instead try incorporating more movement into your day. Get off the tube or bus a stop early and walk the rest of the way, walk to meetings, get up from your desk regularly during the day and walk around, take a walk around the block at lunch, use the stairs instead of the lift – every little helps! At Christmas you can incorporate movement into family time – encourage everyone to go for a walk after lunch to help keep things moving.
Relax and enjoy – a study conducted in 2018 found that dieting behaviours around Christmas only prevented 0.37kg of weight gain, which is less than a can of beans! So please don’t stress! Enjoy the wonderful food, time with family and friends and don’t feel guilty. The more you try to restrict the more you will want to binge and crave so allow yourself what you fancy and enjoy the festive period.
I want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2020.