5 tips to stay fit & festive
A few Christmas chocolates here and there and a few too many selection boxes or puddings aren’t going to make you fat.
Let’s just start right there!
Many of my clients have mentioned that they fear getting fat over the holidays and worry about un-doing all of their hard work and efforts.
Well, let me tell you, you have nothing to worry about! You don’t get fat that quickly. Thankfully!
If you are someone who exercises consistently, walks frequently and is mindful of the food you eat at least say 80% of the time, then a few days ‘off plan’ isn’t going to make that much difference.
Sure, you might feel a little bloated or gain a few pounds, but overall, you’re not going to un-do your entire training efforts just because you over did it with the mince pies for a week or two!
To help you stay fit & festive, try following these 5 simple tips:
Go for a walk everyday – It doesn’t need to be a long one (it’s cold out there!) however walking will definitely help you stay on track. Especially if fat loss is a goal. Even a 20–30 minute stroll each day will make a difference. So, aim to get outdoors when you can and get moving! The fresh air will do you good, as will the vitamin D! The more active you are the better! You’ll burn calories, keep your muscles and joints from getting stiff and help keep your heart healthy!
Eat more protein – Yes, that’s right! Eat much more protein. It’ll help to keep you fuller for longer and hopefully keep you from raiding the entire box of Christmas chocolates! A lot of people have this misconception that protein is only for people who weight train or for bodybuilders. This is just not true at all. Protein is needed by everybody! It helps with growth (skin and hair for example) and also supports recovery (muscles). Aim to get your intake from natural sources (meat, fish, eggs, nuts, cottage cheese, lentils, beans and seeds) and supplement it if you’re running low. Add a scoop of protein powder to your fruit smoothies for example. My guidance is to eat 20-30g of protein with each meal as a starting point.
Move more – if you’re not able to exercise or head to a gym or just want some time off from training, then move more each day. It’ll make a big difference to how you feel overall. Take stairs instead of lifts where possible, get off the bus a stop or two early, perhaps walk instead of drive when running errands, stand up when taking calls and stretch more. Avoid sitting on the couch for hours on end! All movement which isn’t considered as exercise is known as ‘NEAT.’ This stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. It’s a fancy way of saying all activity that isn’t exercise. So, try to move more each day to offset the additional calories you might be tucking into. You’ll burn calories and feel more energised overall!
Swap out high-calorie alcoholic drinks - There are a lot of hidden calories in alcohol. Popular festive drinks such as mulled wine, red wine, fruit punches and cocktails contain high levels of sugar and are high in calories. Just a few drinks each night over the holidays can add up. For example, there are roughly 228 calories in a large glass of red wine. So, if you’re having “just a couple of glasses of wine” be mindful of the number of calories you’re actually drinking. Try swapping the high calorie drinks for lower calorie options (a gin & slimline tonic contains just 88 calories for example, or swap out mixers like coca cola and lemonade, for soda water or diet alternatives) where you can.
Hydrate often – It’s easy to forget to drink water over the holidays, or to replace it with alcoholic alternatives. Try to drink 2-2.5 litres of water each day to keep you hydrated. It’ll also keep you energised, so you’re less likely to go hunting for sugary snacks as an energy pick-me-up! Try carrying a flask around that has measures up the side as a reminder to drink more water. It works to keep you accountable and on track, so you know how much water you’ve actually consumed. It will also help to combat any hangovers, so drink more water!
If you need my help to stay on track over the festive period, get in touch!
