The holiday season is upon us, which means we should all focus on drinks, food and being merry! If there is one take away that you should get from this article, it is this – IT’S CHRISTMAS, HAVE FUN! In this article, we are going to focus on a few strategies and principles that will allow you to enjoy your Christmas feasts, rather than tracking every item and its’ calories.
FOOD
Strategy #1
Limit your Christmas lunch to just lunch. It’s easy to get into that mindset of indulging in three big meals which will be the cause of weight gain! Instead of having a big breakfast, lunch and dinner just because it’s Christmas it is important to pace yourself if you are expecting to consume a lot of food. Limit the blow out to one meal and you’ll thank yourself the next day.
Strategy #2
Load up on your vegetables! Not only are they delicious, they are also packed with nutrients and are high in volume, meaning you will feel fuller quicker, helping you avoid more calorie intensive foods like egg nog and stuffing.
PRO TIP –
It is not the one big Christmas lunch you have at Mums that is going to ruin your fitness routine. It is carrying that lunch into dinner and you eating badly for the next few days and getting off track with training! So keep it simple, enjoy the big meal but don’t delay getting back on track.
DRINKS
Strategy #1
When it comes to non-alcoholic drinks, it is best to not waste your calories on soft drinks as most of the calories come from sugar. Unless you’re planning to engage in some intense competitive sports after lunch, you’ll be storing all that sugar as excess fat. You’re better off eating real food which contains good nutritional content, rather than sugary drinks.
Strategy #2
If you’re planning to hit the town and have a few drinks, stick with vodka soda waters! If you need to add some flavour, add another shot of vodka or slice of lime. Clear spirits are less likely to leave you with a debilitating hangover the next day. By restricting yourself to soda water, you’re also saving your body from all the sugar and artificial sweeteners.
PRO TIP –
There are 970 calories in 10 vodka lime and sodas. A big mac meal contains 1155 calories (big mac – 565 cals, large fries 366 cals and large coke 224 cals). You can halve the number of calories in a night out just by skipping the late night binge!
Now go forth armed with this new found knowledge, and drink and be merry! 🎅🎅🎅
