Let’s be honest, it’s not Christmas Day itself that’s responsible for those extra kilos on the scales, but rather the weeks of abandoning your healthy intentions in the build-up to the festive period.
So, Have a Strategy:
With office parties, drinks with friends, mulled wine at every pit stop – you have nearly the whole of December left to strategically negotiate.
Fear not. You don’t need to lock yourself away, nor give in to temptation fully! Being clever with your choices can make all the difference. Give yourself set days when you know you will stray to the indulgent side – generally speaking this is Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve. On these days, don’t beat yourself up being super strict, but perhaps avoid that 2nd or 3rd portion by the time Boxing day comes around.
Snacking – it’s usually everywhere at Christmas, so try and ensure you go for high protein fibre rich options, think veggies + nuts, maybe a festive satsuma and try to swerve the Quality Streets in every home you visit!!
For the numerous festive events and gatherings, consider which drinks are likely to be worth ‘THAT’ hangover… and which you can forego. Failing that (and keeping it strategic), decide how many drinks you will allow yourself, set the boundaries and help yourself stay on track. Additionally, be clever with your choice of tipple because some can be far less calorific and diluted with soda water, hooray!
Be conscious… of your choices:
Shock horror… but boozy nights are as guilty as they come when it comes to additional kilos. Not only is alcohol high in calories, it also lowers blood sugar, triggering hunger and because alcohol lowers your inhibitions you’re more likely to end up at the buffet table picking on glistening, calorific treats. If you drink on an empty stomach then these effects will be more pronounced, and will likely linger until the next morning, making an unhealthy breakfast and a day on the sofa all the more imminent. Give yourself a cheeky head start and don’t skip meals and ensure you eat before heading out. This will slow the absorption of any alcohol and help counteract the fall in blood sugar, which means you’re less likely to succumb to the late-night snack attacks after your jingling night out.
Hydrate
It’s easy to confuse dehydration for hunger, so drink water as you wake and also before bed.
On the day of a big night out and the day after, make a conscious effort to drink 6-8 glasses of water, or plenty of herbal teas. Even mild dehydration can lead to a headache and combined with the diuretic effects of alcohol will require you to keep a check of your fluid intake. Regular teas and coffee count towards your fluid intake, but caffeinated versions shouldn’t make up your full quota. So, hydrate with water before you caffeinate!
