Top 5 tips for the holiday season
Here are my top 5 tips to survive the holiday season:
1 – Food is Fuel
The average person puts on approximately 1 – 2 kilos of weight over the festive season and
some don’t lose it after. My top tips – Remember moderation is the key, avoid sugary and
fatty foods and keep your eye out for healthy options. Treat food as fuel and be mindful,
Christmas Day is that day of the year you really should be able to enjoy without guilt, but
you don’t need to blow it to have fun.
2 – Keep Moving
It’s not hard to forget to move during the festive season and ironically, you need to move
now more than ever (remember food is fuel). Exercising for 30 minutes each day will help
you kick those Christmas calories and give you an endorphin kick that boosts your energy
and brings all the good feels. Program this in, get moving early in the day during our
beautiful mornings for a win this festive season.
3 – Connect with a Buddy
Organise to meet your workout buddy – connect for a walk, jog, or get to your favourite
class together. Having that buddy increases accountability (let’s face it, we won’t let our
friend down). Commit to move with your buddy and you’ll be ahead of the game as we tick
into the new year.
4 – Alcohol
Fun Fact #1– When alcohol is consumed, it’s burned first as a fuel source before your body
uses anything else. This includes glucose from carbohydrates or lipids from fats. Let that sink
in for a minute, all that food you eat, won’t get used if you haven’t moved so where does it go? It
gets stored for later.
Fun Fact #2 – During the festive season is Australia, the weekly alcohol consumption rate
triples!
The solution?
Have a glass of water or soda in between your alcoholic drinks, you’ll be able
to pace yourself and stay hydrated this way. Choose lower calorie beverages, like gin and
soda, white wine, prosecco, or light beer. I’ve been using these tricks for years, I still have
lots of fun without the hangover, which means I can train the next morning.
5 – Relax
Christmas can be a stressful time, but it’s also an important time to relax, have fun and kick
back. If you’re taking time off work. Enjoy yourself and use this as a time to rest and
recharge for the next year. You earned this break, take it without guilt.
The Final Word
Don’t beat yourself up if you overindulge a little, you forget to stick to your routine, you
don’t exercise, you sleep in or you sit around in your PJs for a day or two. This down time is
as important as the time you’re in the grind. Tick as many healthy boxes as you can, relax
and enjoy that time with your friends and most importantly,
Have a Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy New Year.
Julie Taylor
