- Avoid processed foods – simply if nature has provided the food you are eating then eat away, however if its man-made avoid it, avoid all the ‘beige’ foods this Christmas! Eating foods like this will just make you not only fat but sick as well. Base your foods on what Mother Nature has to offer, meats, vegetables, fish, salads etc., go for colour!
- Eat plenty of Protein, lots of vegetables and good fats. These foods keep you full longer, lots of people follow a low fat diet and this often leaves you craving sugar and processed carbs. Start to include good fats in your diet like avocado, coconut oil, raw nuts, nut butter, olive oil, real butter, greek yoghurt and your cravings will disappear! Good sources of protein include: grass-fed beef, chicken, fish, whole eggs, turkey, bison, beans and if you want you can include a good quality protein powder.
- Plan your meals ahead, don’t leave it to chance, make plenty and have left overs for lunch the next day. Have delicious salads made up in the fridge, then you won’t get tempted to grab that unhealthy snack or meal, grabbing something convenient usually means some kind of man-made processed foods. Choose your carbs wisely, if you want to avoid weight gain this Christmas then limit or avoid wheat, rice, pasta and choose sweet potatoes, limit starchy carbs, chose lower sugar fruits like berries. Have dark chocolate as your treat!
- Stop stressing! When we become stressed our bodies release a hormone called cortisol, worrying about creating the perfect Christmas, money, presents or even the in-laws descending all leads to your body releasing cortisol which elevates blood sugar levels, the pancreas then sends out insulin to store the excess glucose, that means you end up storing excess fat! Find a way to de-stress, meditation, walking outside, Pilates and smile more, enjoy the festive season.
- Most of us enjoy a few drinks over Christmas, so why don’t you make sure that you drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink, you can make it sparkling water & add a slice of lemon or lime to spritz it up a bit 🙂
Enjoy Christmas and have a Happy and Healthy New Year!