🎄Stay on Track with Your Healthy Lifestyle this Party Season!🎄
Introduction:
In our previous blog https://www.crossfitvolentia.com/blog/fuelling-yourself-for-an-active-lifestyle-energise-and-thrive we talked about how you can best fuel yourself for an active lifestyle. This week we’re going to look at how to set yourself up to survive Christmas!
The Christmas holiday season can be a joyful time filled with celebrations, delicious food, and quality time with loved ones. However, it can also be a challenging period for those committed to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Being out of your usual routine, perhaps away from home, eating different foods and going to more parties than Beyoncé means you could find yourself wondering how on earth you can not screw up all the hard work you’ve put in to the last year, over the next couple of weeks!
Fear not, as usual, we've got you covered! In this blog, we will share practical tips on how to stay on track with your fitness goals, maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the party season and STILL have fun!
1. Mindful Eating: 😋🌲😋
It's so easy to get carried away with all the tempting treats during the holiday season. To keep food consumption in check, try the following strategies:
Portion control:
Don’t deprive yourself totally of your favourite dishes but practice moderation. Enjoy a small serving, savour every bite, and avoid going back for seconds.
Prioritise healthier options:
Start your day of well with nutrient-dense foods for breakfast like fresh fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables and lean proteins. They will keep you satisfied for longer, reduce the cravings for sweet foods and help you to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.
Listen to your body:
Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Slow down, eat mindfully, and stop eating when you feel comfortably full.
2. Alcohol Moderation:🍷🍻🎄
For many, alcohol is often a big part of the Christmas celebrations. However, as we’ve all experienced I’m sure, excessive drinking can leave you feeling pretty awful! We tend to feel sluggish and less active ‘the day after the night before’ and this can seriously throw us off track. With low blood sugar and probably dehydration too we can find ourselves susceptible to making poor nutrition choices throughout the day. Have a think about these simple tips and see if they help:
Set limits:
We will start with probably the simplest but most important one; Determine the number of drinks you'll have in advance, and stick to it. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or calorie-free drinks to stay hydrated. As with all things, there will need to be a certain amount of self control involved here, but if you’ve a plan, you’re one step closer to success!
Choose wisely:
Opt for lower-calorie options like light/alcohol free beers and drinks, wine spritzers, or mixed drinks made with soda water or fresh fruit juice instead of sugary mixers or heavy spirits.
Be mindful of the effects:
As I mentioned above, alcohol can affect your judgment and lead to poor food choices not just at the time but the following morning too. We ALL like to have fun and many of us enjoy the social side of having drinks with friends but staying aware of your consumption will help you to keep a level of control over your choices.
3. Prioritise Sleep: 😴🎄😴
Amidst the holiday hustle and bustle, it's crucial to prioritise sleep for your overall well-being:
Establish a routine:
Aim for consistent bedtimes and wake-up times to regulate your sleep schedule.
Create a sleep-friendly environment:
Make your bedroom conducive to quality sleep by ensuring it's cool, dark, and quiet. Unwind before bed by reading a book or practicing relaxation techniques.
Limit technology use:
Avoid screens (phones, tablets, TVs) at least an hour before bedtime, as the blue light can disrupt sleep patterns.
If all has gone to pot, have a nap!
If you’ve been particularly late to bed, use some of your holiday free time to catch up on a bit of shut-eye with an afternoon nap…they’re absolutely blissful and can help you to feel ready to put on your party shoes again! Generally keep your naps to no more than an hour or so and have them early early afternoons rather than late on in the day which could effect your night time sleep.
4. Exercise! 💪🎄🚲🎄🏃🏽🎄
If you’re away from home or just out of your regular routine you will probably find your exercise routine will look a little different from usual. Rather than worrying about it and feeling frantic to get back to the gym, think of this time as active recovery or a time to try out some new skills or strength you’ve gained in the gym over the year.
Go out for a daily walk with friends, family or on your own!
Have a bike ride if the weather allows, have a visit to an indoor trampoline area or bouldering club, play active games with others or maybe do an At Home workout in the mornings to start your day off positively!
Remember, variety is GOOD! Changing your exercise routine up or down for a few days is no bad thing, your body likes change AND rest and finding different forms of exercise is always positive!
5. Take Care of Your Mental Health: 🧘🏾♂️🎄🚶🏻🎄👨👧👧
Christmas can be stressful for many reasons, so it's important to give your mental well-being some thought. Taking some daily quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of activities is important for many people and if you’re one of them, make sure you have that space to escape to.
Practice self-care:
Allocate time for activities you enjoy, such as exercise, reading, or your hobbies. Self-care can help reduce stress and improve your overall mental health which in turn will help you to cope better and feel calmer.
Manage stress:
Try incorporating stress management techniques into your morning routine, such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, or yoga. Find a quiet spot and take some time for yourself or go out on a morning walk with a podcast or audio book.
Seek support:
If things get difficult and you find yourself overwhelmed, reach out to friends, family, or professionals. Sharing your feelings and concerns can provide valuable support at difficult times.
Conclusion:
We all want to enjoy the Christmas holidays! Depriving yourself of the things which you enjoy and make you happy isn’t the solution and of course most of us will find ourselves feeling overly full, maybe over indulging on pre (and/or post!) Christmas drinks, exercising less and going to bed later than normal but within the boundaries of a normally healthy lifestyle, these things will just be blips…
Remember, balance is key! Enjoy your family, friends and festivities, indulge in moderation, and make choices that align with your overall well-being and you’ll emerge in the New Year ready to go after your 2024 goals with renewed excitement!
You've got this!!