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The tree is up, the presents are wrapped, and you’ve already watched Love Actually four times – Christmas is well and truly in the air. Whilst this is everyone’s favourite time of year, the roast dinners and bargain chocolate can be a big hurdle for anyone trying to lose weight and work on a healthy lifestyle.
It can seem like the easy option to put your wellness journey on hold and start again in the new year, but with a big dose of willpower and a clean plan, you can stay on track this festive season.
Without further ado, here are our favourite tips on avoiding tasty temptation this festive season.
Don’t shop hungry
This applies all year round, but with tubs of chocolates, frozen party snacks and alcohol galore, the supermarket shelfs are lined with additional tasty, unhealthy temptations at Christmas time.
Eating a filling and healthy meal before hitting the shops is one simple way to avoid picking up those extra little bits that you don’t really need in your home.
Use smaller plates
This simple and effective optical illusion could really help you eat less on Christmas day. Loading your turkey dinner up onto a smaller plate will help trick your mind into thinking you’re eating more, when your portion size is a lot smaller than usual.
Be cautious about what you’re loading up on the plate too; pick protein like turkey or nut roast over beige foods like roast potatoes and stuffing, and load your plate up with tasty greens and veggies.
Keep food out of sight
Dish up your meals in the kitchen and leave the leftovers out of sight. Having the remaining meat, potatoes and Yorkshire puds on the table can make picking at them and having seconds even easier and more appealing.
If you want to go even further, have your guests bring some tupperware and let them take leftovers home to avoid the temptation of Boxing Day nibbling.
Beware the booze
With Christmas parties, dinners with friends, and of course Christmas Day itself, there are a lot of excuses to drink up in December. And, as we all know too well, alcohol is packed full of empty calories and sugar that all count towards weight gain.
You can still enjoy a drink or two over the Christmas period, but try and squeeze in a few booze-free days during the week to give your body time to rest and repair.
Stay active, even when everyone else isn’t
If you are lucky enough to be off work or out of school during the period between Christmas and New Year, it doesn’t need to be spent on the sofa watching festive telly (although we know it seems tempting). Head out on a family walk, or a quick jog around the neighbourhood to get your blood pumping and to get a little extra energy – even heading to the Boxing Day sales counts as exercise! Getting a little work out in will keep you motivated to stay healthy over the festive period.
What are your tips for avoiding unhealthy treats and tasty temptations over the festive period? We’d love to hear them! Get in touch on Twitter or Facebook, and don’t forget to follow us to stay up to date with out latest blogs and health tips.
