For me, this is
the best time of the year. I love all the decorations, all the holiday cheer,
all the opportunities to be around my family and friends, and just the general
happiness of bringing round the end of another year.
So
as my favourite time of year only comes around every 12 months, I do often go a
bit overboard in indulging myself in all things Christmas, and who wouldn’t?
There are a few things I have found that have helped me over the years to stay
healthy through a few of the events, when I know I will most likely try and put
everything edible in my mouth.
~
Firstly, a cheeky trick is to have a healthy snack before your event, this way
your wont be starving when you arrive and eat more than you normally would.
When your hungry you tend to reach for a more energy dense foods to bring your
energy levels back up and keep you going, and in this case at a party or dinner
it may sway your choice of food and increase the amount. Also make sure you
drink enough water, as sometimes being thirsty can mask itself as feeling
hungry.
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If it’s an event where you have the opportunity to make something, offer to
bring a healthy dish. This not only gives you a healthy option but it also
gives you the chance to show other people that healthy doesn’t always equal
bland. Give them an opportunity to try something they may not attempt by
themselves. You could whip up a pad thai salad, a raw pesto zoodle dish, or
even venture into the yummy dessert area and test out a chai cashew cheesecake
or plant based caramel slice.
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Something that I know that I need to work on is eating mindfully. This
technique is where you pay attention to what your eating, how you feel while
eating, the taste and feel of the food, and how it is nourishing your body. It
gives a stronger presence to what your eating and allows you to enjoy it a lot
more when you are focusing on all the elements of the food. It is also brings
about a focus on how your body is reacting to what your eating. It allows you
to notice your hunger cues and when you feel satisfied, so you don’t have to
reach that overstuffed feeling that I usually feel after Christmas lunch. It
should also allow you to become more in tune with your eating cues that may not
be related to hunger, such as emotional triggers, anxiousness, stress or
boredom. All of which is something I need to work on more in my life, so I’ll
let you know how it works out.
~
Most of all you need to relax, I love getting together with all my friends and
family, and I can’t enjoy myself if I’m stressing about what I can and can’t
eat, or whether I’ve eaten to much. If I have over eaten on something naughty,
great, it was amazing, I will move on and continue to enjoy this time of the
year. I wont see it as something standing in the way of my progress, because
life is a balance of all facets of health. Give yourself room to enjoy the
season, and live in the moment to its fullest.
Staying
healthy over the holiday season is so much more than just your physical health,
sometimes you just need to find time to yourself and give yourself a break from
the craziness that often comes with Christmas. Make sure you get enough sleep
and just give yourself some space to return back to your center, whether that
be through practicing yoga or meditation, going to the gym, reading a book or
just taking a bubble bath. Whatever works for you!
I
for one am so excited for the jam-packed week ahead. I hope you are all have an
amazing day!
‘Life always gets better
when I treat myself better’ – Robert Holden
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