Seconds on the lips, forever on the hips…tips for a fitter healthier Christmas!
One the hardest things about Christmas is the over indulgence of food!
The Baileys…
The mince pies…
The Trimmings…
This list could go on!
In fact, Christmas is near on impossible to avoid putting on a couple of extra pounds right?
It’s true that you can’t out-train a bad diet! But you can set some good habits in place to help combat the festivities and to stay a little fitter & healthier over the Christmas period.
Here are my Top 5 Tips on how to not lose sight of your goals by adopting the right mindset over the holidays:
- Try to maintain an 80/20 balance of healthy foods v Christmas treats. You don’t want to get to January and then have to spend the first 2 months of the year feeling rubbish and suffering whilst you try to get back into your favourite jeans. One of my top tips on how to do this would be to save any treats until later on in the day. If you start on the Baileys & mince pies for breakfast, it’s highly likely you will continue like this for the rest of the day. A lot of people talk themselves into the fact that they’ve already eaten this & that, they may as well carry on. Trouble is, a lot of people forget what they have actually eaten. We can call it “denial”! Try starting the day with a healthy nutritious breakfast, a well-balanced lunch, and look forward to enjoying some Christmas treats in the evening. If you have eaten well for most of the day, don’t use this is an excuse to binge though. It’s amazing how many calories you can over-consume when picking at higher calories foods and treats. Everything in moderation!
- Keep active! This is where “damage limitation” comes in. If you can hit the gym a few times a week over the holidays, then you will really earn your Christmas treats. Cardio, whilst better than nothing, will leave you in the “fat-burning zone” with a higher metabolic rate of approx 2-3 hours post-workout. Great to do first thing thing in the morning and what I have been doing most days over the holidays leading up to Christmas. If you can squeeze in a really productive lifting session, or even a high intensity workout at home, then this will leave your body more of a fat-burning furness for the next 24-48 hours! Any form of exercise will leave you feeling great, boosting your mood, mindset and eating habits for the rest of the day. If you want some bodyweight workouts to do at home over the holidays, head over to my Instagram to view my weekly workouts.
- Mindset is the biggest thing that you can really focus your energies on over the Christmas holidays. If everyone around you has their head buried in the Roses tin and is on an eating mission because it’s Christmas, then this is more than likely going to influence you to do the same. It is very hard not to join in with everyone else and convince yourself it’s okay because hey…everyone else is eating and drinking that! Remember, Christmas is not all about the food! Although it becomes an easy excuse. Think about it…are you going to be happy with yourself once all the festivities are over and you no longer feel comfortable in your clothes? Probably not. Don’t use Christmas as an excuse for gluttony. The more seconds of naughty pleasure on the lips, it will be tougher than ever to get off the hips post-Christmas!
- Stay hydrated! Too much booze and not drinking enough water…two of the things most likely to occur over the Christmas period for a lot of people. When your body is dehydrated, you are more likely to feel sluggish, tired and irritable. And then the last thing you will feel like doing is working out. Plus, booze and the aftermath often make us crave lots of fatty, salty & sugary foods. It is the Party Season so by all means enjoy yourself but remember to drink plenty of water, and if you do enjoy some mulled wine, Baileys & the odd G&T, just remember to drink a glass of water before and after each alcoholic drink. This will help minimise any impact and hangover!
- Avoid too many late nights – late nights and lack of sleep are a common cause of us wanting to eat all the wrong foods! Just like booze, it can affect our energy levels and you will want to eat things that give a false sense of comfort and spike in energy. Not only that but you will not have the energy or motivation to workout!
You may or may not know that I have an 8 week fitness challenge starting in January. If you want my help to shake off the Christmas indulgence and to get in to the best shape of your life, join us!
And I will be flying the winner out to Ibiza to spend the day training with me! 🙂
