Let’s face it, you’re going to put on weight over Christmas. There are parties aplenty and it’s cold – so we need a steady supply of hot chocolate to warm our cockles.
It’s hardly the time for dieting, and that extra layer of chub keeps us warm anyway, but if we overdo things too much, January is going to be nightmare; it will be that much harder to get back to your pre-festive you. So I’ve compiled my top 10 festive-fat-fighting tips that will help you keep the “overdoing it” to a minimum:
1 – Be spirit smart
It’s December, you’re probably boozing more than usual. As a general rule of thumb vodka has the fewest calories, so opt for vodka mixers (soda and lime for very good girls) and if you have the choice, grey goose is the least processed ‘healthiest’ of the bunch.
2 – Stay In Proportion!
The great thing about the Christmas dinner is a lot of it is very healthy stuff (turkey and veg namely) so stack the veg and turkey– take off the Yorkshire pud and have less potatoes and sauce, and you’ve good a ruddy healthy meal.
3 – Keep sugar cravings under control
With chromium supplements after a meal; chromium helps the body to utilize glucose efficiently kicking those sugar cravings in the butt. Simples.
4 – Go to the gym on a hangover
Sounds horrible, and it is, but when there’s alcohol in the system the body will burn that before it even thinks about burning calories, so it’s doubly bad for weight gain. So sweat it out of your body asap! Just be sure to drink lots of water, and have a nice healthy protein rich breakkie.
5 – Hot drink health
Hot Christmas drinks are the best thing, in my opinion, about Christmas. As a bit of a hot choccy addict I have often researched the healthiest hot chocolates around, and have come to the conclusion that Pret is your best bet – all the coffee shop’s hot chocolate have from 200-250 calories but Pret use better quality chocolate powder and organic milk. Making your own is even better –Reservage Cocoawell cocoa powder from Wholefoods is delicious with almond milk and xylitol.
6 – Go for goat’s…
…Cheese that is, overall avoid the harder cheeses on the board as they have the highest fat content, and goats cheese is much easier to digest.
7 – Mull it over
Mulled wine is scrummy, but often very calorific. If you can, opt for mulled apple cider instead – it’s lighter in calories, and just as delicious.
8 – Be a soup monster
Having a decent soup for lunch is filling, and a great way to get a couple of your 5-a-day. Not to mention it’s warming and wholesome – the perfect winter food.
9 – Don’t lose it Monday to Friday
If you’re going to go nuts at the weekend and eat and drink way to much deliciousness, get straight back on the bandwagon on Monday morning – binging is fine from time to time as long as you don’t do it consistently and regularly there won’t be any long term damage done.
10 – Enjoy!
Accept the fact you won’t be at your healthiest – life is frankly too short and Christmas is too fun to spend any time worrying about eating too many mince pies. Stay positive, enjoy the delicious things, and rein it in using the above tips whenever you realistically can.