Ho ho ho! December brings with it the Christmas season and the turn of the year, and with these come the promise of parties and festive food. We totally get the desire to indulge this month — after all, good company and good food go together like cookies and cream!
But living a healthily cannot be chucked to the backburner while we gorge ourselves silly. Habits, after all, are formed after a short 3 weeks of repetition! So the month of celebratory feasting could have a longer-lasting impact than you intended.
We know that you’ve got parties to go to and lots of great food to eat, so why not arm yourself with our handy guide to not overeating this December? Remember these 5 little tips and you’re good to keep healthy all throughout the sweet and rich treats of the season!
1) Load up on the salads and lean protein
Take a good hard look at the buffet spread at the party before you dive straight in, and zero in on the veggies first. If you load up on more substantial veggies like broccoli, cauliflower or zucchini, you satiate that hungry belly with nutritious greens instead of the usual fat-rich Christmas foods or carb-heavy dishes. The other dish you should make a bee-line for is the lean protein. Roasted turkey breast is nice and lean, as is white ham and shredded chicken. Smoked salmon is also a nice touch without detracting too far from your healthy eating quest.
2) Everything in moderation
So does that mean you should swear off the sweet treats and those comforting pies of the season? We say no! Go for these if you wish, but only after you have been disciplined before and beaten the majority of those hunger pangs with veggies and lean protein. After which, take a small serving of the festive food you crave for and savour every bite!
3) Watch the drinks
One of the things we often overlook in our effort to eat healthily is the drink. Drinks are one of those things that could insidiously wreak havoc on your efforts to remain disciplined. Punch and juice are full of refined sugar, as are cocktails and soda. If you really must have a glass, allow yourself a small glass to sip along another glass of water. Tell yourself that the one glass of juice, punch, cocktail or soda is all you’ve got for the rest of the party, and that it’s gotta last you. Drink your water every other sip to make that small glass stretch!
4) Work with trade-offs
If you just have to have that delicious nasi padang cooked by that friend who’s a kitchen goddess, or that warm apple crumble that your mom makes only once a year – don’t deny yourself! BUT, you should look at the big picture and plan for simpler, healthier meals the rest of the day, so there is a nett trade-off! Or, plan to fit in more exercise before and after the day of your intended feast, so you prime your metabolism to burn the excess calories from your must-have dishes. Trading off time for extra exercise and other healthy meals is entirely feasible and a great way to keep your weight and health in check, so long as you plan in advance!
5) Pack a punch at breakfast
Our last tip is really simple: make your breakfast a power-packed one. We bet you already adhere to something similar, since it is typically common knowledge that eating a good, healthy and wholesome breakfast is one of the key things in a wellness lifestyle. Load up on complex carbs and healthy fats like oatmeal, Greek yoghurt and nut butters. Round up your breakfast with fruit and nut, and you are set to face the rest of the festive feasting day! By eating well at breakfast, you are setting the stage for more controlled eating later in the day, hence setting you up for success.
So ladies, remember that denying yourself of the pleasure of your favourite festive foods is NOT the way to go, in our books! With planning and discipline, allowing yourself your favourite treats in controlled moderation is a win-win for all.
To give your efforts a little boost to fight the effects of the decadent foods of the season, we’ve got an amazing Banish Holiday Fats Festive Treatment promo lined up for you. Enjoy 10 sessions of fat busting treatments at only $388 from now till January 2017. Our award-winning treatments, coupled with more intense exercise and way more control over your diet in the new year, should do the trick in ushering in the new year on the right note! Happy holidays, ladies!