Keep a balance to enjoy a Happy Christmas
Maintaining your health goals does not mean that you have to sacrifice all the fun and indulgences that come with Christmas
WE are in the full swing of the Christmas season now; the holiday festivities can take a toll on your physical and mental health. This is the time of year our diaries get filled up with social events, family get-togethers and lots of tempting treats on offer. It can be hard to stay on track with your healthy habits.
It does not have to be this way though, and with a little bit of forward planning and keeping our well-being focus we can maintain a balanced lifestyle over the holiday period.
One of the biggest challenges in the run up to Christmas is the abundance of festive treats and drinks. Christmas parties and get togethers with friends where rich meals and sugary desserts are always on the menu.
However, if you take the time to plan ahead you can help limit the impacts of these events and keep yourself on track with your nutritional goals. Simple hacks like eating a green salad before going out with friends lines your stomach with fibre to lessen the impact of the sugary treats on your bold sugar levels. Having a vegetable or salad-based starter will do the same so that way you put less of the meal into fat storage.
Even if you are busy it is important to maintain your exercise routine. If you can stay active during this time it can have a really positive impact on your physical and mental health. Exercising is a really good way of reducing or relieving stress and it helps boost your moods and energy levels as well as improving your sleep patterns.
You may not be able to commit the same length of time to your exercise routine but nobody ever said it has to be perfect just that you should maintain an active lifestyle. If 20 – 30 minutes of any activity is all you can manage that is good enough. It can be a walk, a jog or a home workout whatever fits your schedule, just stay active.
Alcohol per say is not really such a big problem, the biggest problem is the other junk that we consume with the alcohol. In saying that we do need to be mindful of how much alcohol we are consuming as it has a really strong negative impact on our sleep which will in turn impact on calorie consumption the following day and on our mental health also.
It is important that you are aware of how your body is reacting to the alcohol and you pace yourself, have a glass of water between drinks as well and set yourself a limit before you go out.
It can be easy to get drawn into late nights and early mornings with parties, travel and other commitments at this time of year. However, maintaining a good sleep routine is essential for your immune system, mood and energy levels. Lack of sleep can also lead to unhealthy food choices and food cravings.
Make sure that you are prioritising between 7-9 hours of sleep. Reduce screen time before bed, create a calming routine before bed and practice some breathing exercises, guided meditations or read a book. Use dim lighting and a cool bedroom.
This time of year, can be a very stressful time for a lot of people for many different reasons. If you are under chronic stress it can have really negative impacts on your health. Try to stay as connected with yourself as you can and don’t allow yourself to get distracted and pulled from event to event. You need to do what is right for you.
This does not need to be a long drawn out process every day you just need to check in with yourself every now and again and do some breathing exercises or engage in a quick mindfulness session with one of the many apps available. This can be enough to recharge your batteries and reset your mind and help you handle all the chaos that comes with the Christmas period.
This can be a challenge during the colder months of the winter but keeping your body well hydrated is very important to your overall health, as it supports your digestive system, boosts energy levels and improves your skin health.
Aim to drink between 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day even if you are consuming other teas or coffees.
It is very easy to become overwhelmed and stress at this time of year. If you can, take a step back and focus on all the things you have to be grateful for, it can help centre yourself and reconnect with yourself and the real spirit of Christmas.
Mindful eating is also a really good technique you can use to keep on top of your health goals during this time of year. Eat your food slowly, chew everything thoroughly and really enjoy the tastes and textures from your food. Pay attention to your bodies hunger cues also, this can help prevent you from overeating and eating just out of boredom.
Maintaining your health goals does not mean that you have to sacrifice all the fun and indulgences that come with Christmas. All you have to do is keep everything in balance with a bit of forward planning and staying connected with you and your goals. Focus on what is the best thing for you and your body to allow you to enjoy the festive period while feeling your best.
