The holidays are always filled with what many would consider to be "temptations" but! What if we simply planned our lives around the festivities of the season? Once we do not withold things from ourselves, it becomes less tempting. Here are a few tips that I personally use:
- Have a high protein breakfast. It is really easy to get side tracked even with meals that we prepare for ourselves during the holidays. Starting the day with a low carb, but high protein breakfast can put you in the right frame of mind. Protein helps you to keep full and provides essential amino acids needed to build muscles. Examples of high protein breakfasts: egg white omelets, egg white wraps, tuna wraps.
- Drink copious amounts of water. Water is essential for your body to function, drinking water will help you to keep hydrated and process the food you eat. It will also help with the balancing of the extra salts that are usually present in these lovely treats. It will also reduce the bloating effect of the meals and will reduce the discomfort that comes along with bloating. Many sources recommend a gallon of water a day. Try to see how close you can get to the gallon mark.
- For every alcoholic beverage consumed, have a glass of water. This will help you keep full and reduce the amount of alcohol consumed.
- Choose beverages which have minimal chasers or choose low carb chasers. Alcohol does carry calories and as such addition of sweet chasers will increase the amount of calories in each drink. One can easily consume all the required calories for the day in 5 mixed drinks.
- Sub mixed drinks for wine or champagne. Wine and champagne have lower calories than that of a mixed drink.
- With a variety of foods to choose, go for protein and vegetable options first. This will minimize the space for carb rich and fat rich options. After you have had your protein and vegetables, then you can return to sample the sweet treats if you so desire.
- Do not eat to be stuffed. Gluttony is real! There is no need to over eat just because the food is looking at you. Sample a bit of everything and move on.
- Less sauce, more food. Sauces and condiments are sometimes high in carbs and fats. Try to minimize the amount of condiments used.
- Do not neglect your workouts, whatever you were doing before the holidays, try your best to maintain the level of activity or find a replacement. Increasing your food intake and reducing your activity level is a recipe for disaster. Replacements could be dancing, running, walking more (tours etc). If you weren’t on a routine before the festive season, it isn’t too late to get on a program.
- Plan your meals for the day taking into consideration the activities that you will be participating in. So if you plan to go to an office party at 7:00pm, ensure that you have a plan for breakfast, lunch and snacks. Keep the day light on carbs and fats. Most meal options at events are usually high on carbs and fats but low on protein.
- Enjoy your time with friends and family. A healthy lifestyle is not only about the number on the scale or the inches lost. It includes emotional well being, do not neglect the human interaction and time with people you love.