Christmas is a time of great overindulgence. We treat ourselves to nights out on the town with our friends, eating and drinking more than usual. We have work Christmas dinners. We buy ourselves festive treats, we take time away from our fitness routines, and we let ourselves go. If you are happy to do this, it’s absolutely fine. There’s certainly nothing wrong with rewarding yourself at the end of a tough year, and if you don’t mind gaining a little weight, then let yourself go and enjoy the holidays and all that they have got to bring.
But, we don’t all feel like this. Some of us have events to train for early in the year and want to stay in shape so not to set our training back by weeks. Others, just don’t like the idea of all of our hard work going to waste for a couple of weeks of pleasure. Well, there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t enjoy the holidays without piling on the pounds.
Plan Your Shopping
Walking into a supermarket in the weeks before Christmas you are surrounded by alcohol, chocolates, cakes, and other treats. It can be exceptionally tempting. Writing shopping lists can help you to control your shops. But, shopping online and taking the time to buy red wine online lets you avoid temptation altogether.
Allow Yourself Little Treats
If you try to avoid all Christmas treats when they are surrounding you, you might feel as though you are missing out. This can lead to a temptation to binge and overeat. Instead, allow yourself little treats. Have the odd chocolate or mince pie here and there. Enjoy it, take pleasure in it and don’t feel guilty about it.
Limit Alcohol
One of the leading causes of weight gain and loss of fitness over the holidays is alcohol. We go out more, but we also drink at home more. Limiting your alcohol intake when in a party atmosphere isn’t always easy, but try to drink slowly when you are out, to make drinks last longer. Drink water between alcoholic beverages, and with meals, and try to have a few days a week when you don’t have any alcohol at all. When you do drink, wine and spirits with sugar-free tonics are better than beer and cider.
Take a Walk
Most of us allow ourselves a few days away from the gym over the holidays. But, this doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise at all. Go for walks after big meals. Take a walk around the block when wrapping and card writing is stressing you out. Enjoy some fresh air, and do as many steps as you can. It’ll help you to relax as well as helping you to maintain your fitness levels.
Just remember, that a little weight gain and loss of fitness isn’t the end of the world. You’ll soon get back to normal if you put in a little extra effort in the New Year. Enjoy the holidays however you want to.
