The 5 best strategies to avoid festive binges

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

This means that Christmas is near but for many this could be a barrier to their health and fitness goals.

For those who are currently on a fitness journey or simply want to improve their health , the festive period can be overwhelming, with the many food temptations around the corner. So how we need to behave around food during this period?

Well first and for most let’s not forget that Christmas is not an excuse to indulge and overeat , yet it’s an opportunity to spend quality time with our friends, families and loved ones, therefore food should not be a priority instead a way to add pleasure to people’s lives.

I have been one of those fitness junkie that used to bring tupperware to holidays and parties and trust me it is not fun!

So unless you have an event which you are preparing for, there are other ways to stay healthy and on track during holidays.

I want to share with you my top 5 strategies to avoid festive binges.

1. Offer to bring a healthy dish to a party. If you are invited to a party and are not sure how to avoid temptations, you could make a nutrient dense dish, low in calories, that you and the people you are going to share this with, will be able to enjoy with no guilt.

2. Remember to drink water, not just alcohol as water is calorie free but alcohol isn’t. Also water won’t effect your inhibition while alcohol will, leading you to make poorer food choices.

3. Keep your calorie intake low before the party so that if you do decide to have a piece of cake, you won’t feel like you have completely gone off the wagon and get seconds and thirds it, instead you will just mindfully enjoy the cake knowing that tomorrow is another day and you will get back on track. Obviously you want to make sure to consume some food that will help you feel satiated before the party in order to prevent you from overeating, so have a good amount of protein intake from eggs, meat, fish, cheese, legumes and nuts.

4. Offer to go for a walk after a meal with your family and friends, not only you will increase your NEAT (Non-exercise activity thermogenesis ), which is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or sports-like exercise, but you will also bond with your loved ones.

5. Last but not least, be present! Christmas, like other parties and holidays, is a religious and cultural celebration where families and friends gather around to spend time together and share gifts, food and laughter. It’s traditional to make special foods around this time of the year but eating too much or too little might make you feeling sick so you won’t get to enjoy any quality time with your loved ones.

To wrap this up, it’s ok to eat the cake or your favorite food that you don’t get to eat on a regular basis, but be mindful of how your body feels after eating certain foods, have some protein and veggies with it, drink lots of water, move a little, do not overindulge and mostly be present with your loved ones.

Balance is key!