You have worked hard to achieve your fitness results this year and don’t want to have a few bad weeks let you down. We all want to enjoy our time off with family and friends this Christmas without worrying about piling on excess kilos we worked so hard getting off.
Now, straight away we know that since you are reading a fitness blog during the holiday period your goals are important to you, are we right?
Well, you are certainly not alone in these thoughts, so we have compiled 3 useful nutrition tips to help you enjoy the festive season, whilst also holding on to your hard earned progress. Keep reading below for ways you can maximise both your results and still enjoy this years Christmas feast.
Think quality over quantity when consuming calories
This first tip can be read a few different ways. Though we are specifically talking about your nutritional intake and the choices you make during this festive time. We all celebrate differently, so we won’t pretend to understand how your social dynamics will play out and try to tell you what to eat or when. Instead, I want you to have an open mind and educate yourself around what nutrition can do for you during this time of festive celebrations.
This time of year, often food is in abundance, but not all foods thrown in front of us are worth their added calories. So choose what you eat selectively and opt for things that will give the most enjoyment. Yes, the most enjoyment because you should be able to enjoy this time and do it without an ounce of guilt.
Just remember that the recommendation here is quality ‘over’ quantity. Enjoy your favorite’s but be careful to do this selectively. You don’t need dozens of your favourite foods and drinks for you to enjoy them. In fact this often leads to a loss in pleasure as we overindulge and leave ourselves feeling stuffed, tired and guilty. Don’t make that mistake again this year, after all if we can’t learn from our past are we really evolving?
Ok, that may be a stretch, but the message is clear. Eat what you enjoy, but in quantities that align with tasteful satisfaction and not overindulgence. Keep this in mind and you will avoid the usual festive kilos that most people tend to add to their frame during this time of year.
Keep your body moving
It is nice to take some time off and relax during this time of year, but it doesn’t have to be for weeks at a time. You can unwind and relax whilst continuing with your training at a lighter intensity. Your body will remain stimulated and healthy, whilst also recovering from the reduced load you are placing on it.
If you normally exercise 3 times per week, then continue with this routine. You may just reduce your usual weight sessions down to walking 3 times per week instead. This keeps you moving and burning calories whilst also giving your body time to recuperate from the stress of weights. This might seem like an odd suggestion as you would be burning less calories, but it is a far better approach than doing no exercise at all because you are unable to make it to your gym for weeks.
This is often referred to as an all or nothing style approach. And we all know that nothing is never the best approach during the festive season, as we tend to consume larger amounts of calories during this time.
Other ways to increase your activity is to utilise incidental activity. This is the activity that you do whilst walking to your car, to the shops, or standing instead of sitting at the BBQ etc. If you choose to take the stairs instead of the lift a few extra times this festive season you could burn off those extra calories without even realising it.
Help others and you will help yourself
You can’t really go wrong with this one. The festive season is a time of giving and caring for others. And what better way to show your appreciation for others than to help out with the events. This may be in the form of cooking, setting up, carrying the groceries up the stairs, wrapping the presents and so much more.
You can always find something you can do to help out, and often they all involve some form of physical element. Think of this as your opportunistic incidental calories burnt (as per above).
Also, help plan and cook the Christmas lunch and you will have greater control of what you put on the menu for that day. This then allows you to choose healthier options or include a healthier alternative to some not so healthy food items. You can also swap heavy creams or calorie dense foods for less calories dense foods and save everyone the excess kilos to go with.
Lastly, offer someone else a drink. Maybe the beer fridge is down the stairs or a few steps away. Each time you opt for movement over standing still or sitting down you burn more calories. Small things really but if you are like most Aussies this may mean a fair few trips to the fridge over the course of the festive season that’s for sure.
Final Thoughts
We think that everyone should allow themselves to enjoy the festivities and delicious foods alike at this time of year. Whether you are being mindful of your calorie consumption, keeping active, or helping others, it is clear there are numerous ways you can stay healthy this festive season. Apply our top 3 useful fitness tips this Christmas and not only can you enjoy what you love, but you will also enjoy staying in top shape. Take this into the new year and make 2023 your best year yet!
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