Fitness Friday: Christmas Version

I know that everyone cuts loose around Christmas, as they should, but sometimes we tend to over-indulge and that creates a problem for the following year. I’m talking having too many Christmas treats starting a month before Christmas, attending too many parties accompanied by too much vino and your favourite choice of alcoholic beverages, using the excuse that ‘Hey! it’s almost Christmas, why not buy it for myself slash that other special person in my life’.

I won’t be there to smack that extra gingerbread man out of your hand, or make you nurse just that one drink for the entire party, and I certainly won’t be there to gently guide your hand away from your wallet containing your credit card, but I can hopefully give you some tips which will hopefully help your waistline, and the waistline of your credit card!

 The Super Duper Christmas Guide to Looking After Yourself this Christmas!

1.    When you are expecting a work function, a party, any kind of gathering involve enough food to feed an army of elephants, prepare for it by making sure you eat regularly the day beforehand AND on the day. That means, have a decent meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), and in between, follow up with healthy snacks such as a handful of walnuts and almonds, a crisp apple, protein shake or some yoghurt drizzled with honey and topped with nuts of choice.

2.    At said work function/party/gathering of small elephants, don’t stop yourself from eating your favourite food, even if it is an almost only mayonnaise creation topped with gummy bears. Load half your plate with healthy things such as salads sans the gummy bears and mayonnaise, and then section off another quarter for food full of protein, such as meat (no fatty bits!), and then the other quarter use for your other not-so-good-for you favourites. No seconds. Only salad seconds are allowed.

3.    If you’re going to drink, have a maximum of 2 glasses of whatever you’re drinking. Just keep in mind that those are liquid calories and they add up a lot easier than whatever you’re eating. There’ll be more parties in the future, plenty of chances to drink then too.

4.    When buying presents for others, or for yourself!, really think about whether the person would appreciate it, or whether they would prefer something actually made by you. For your best friend, why not search up a DIY recipe for a sugar scrub? Inexpensive, yet easy to make, and a great personal touch. Who doesn’t need a good scrub during these winter months? And for the gentlemen in your life? Promise them a completely home cooked meal of their choice, and a week of no rom-com’s.

5.    If you’re forgoing exercising for quality time with friends and family, sneak in exercising WITH friends and family. Go outside and make snowmen, have a snowball fight, go skiing, take a walk around the park (I’m sure it’ll look like a winter wonderland if you’re living somewhere where there’s snow during Christmas time!), go ice-skating, walk your dog three times in one day, making each walk a little longer.

6.    Save your Christmas chocolate, spread it out over the months, re-gift it, even! Saves you the temptation of eating it yourself.

7.    If you've ever wanted to join a gym, Christmas time is usually a great time to join up as gym's are trying to reach their targets and will have great deals going. If you know you're not going to be able to make the gym during December, ask to delay your start date.

8.    Again, think about those really in need, and consider donating money to charities, instead of buying presents for others. Engage the present-receiver and ask them whom they would like for you to donate money to. (Also, talk about it first with the person, this is a slightly touchy thing, especially if they got you what you really wanted this Christmas!).

9.    Do the 100 workout every morning to start up your metabolism for the day.

10.  And best tip of all…just relax, enjoy the holidays, do everything in moderation (apart from having fun, that should be done in the EXTREME), and stay safe.