Losing weight over Christmas can be really tricky, and while Christmas shouldn’t be just about food and drink – it does seem to dominate December. With that in mind, here’s a little round up of healthy Christmas weight loss tips I’ve picked up, read or heard over the years and I hope these can help you (and me) stay on track over the festive season.
- Christmas is just one day, don’t eat mince pies for the whole of December!
- If you’re hosting Christmas parties, stock up as near to your event as possible, rather than bulk ordering weeks in advance. This will hopefully prevent pre-event eating and having to re-stock. Unless you have a second freezer that you can stay well away from!
- Plan your meals and activity in advance – there are a lot of days over the festive period you can still be healthy on.
- Practice safe/non-binge drinking. Alternative between alcoholic and soft drinks if you can on a night out and batch cook some healthy meals for the days/hungover that follow.
- Often find yourself right next to the buffet? Move away after you’ve enjoyed your food and get involved with some festive games or dancing!
- Keep your weight loss goals close to mind – write them down and carry them around as a little reminder when you feel like you may be over indulging.
- Eat your greens and lean meat – roast dinner can be pretty healthy if you allow it to be.
- Experiment with new Christmassy recipes to impress friends and family.
- Plan a few active days over the holidays instead of planting yourself in a pub for hours on end – visit Christmas markets and enjoy some Winter walks.
- Feel Christmassy with some lighter treats – mini mini pies, low calorie hot chocolate, roasted chestnuts…
- Sign up to a charity run or event to keep yourself motivated during winter.
- And with that in mind, why not embrace some Winter sports – try indoor skiing, head to a dry slope or go sledging!
- Find yourself constantly grazing? Chew gum!
- Are you a prosecco fiend? Stock up on low calorie options. Or perhaps a skinny lager is more your thing?
- Bake your own, healthy mince pies! Here’s a healthy mince pie recipe to whet your appetite!
- Love a Baileys? Buy the super tiny, bottles so you can enjoy the taste without the abundance of calories (or SmartPoints).
- Replace festive snacking to an indulgence of another kind – enjoy Christmas themed scented candles, bubble bath and take a good soak!
- Fancy a Christmas movie? Thankfully popcorn is quite fashionable these days and there are loads of options on the market to choose from – buy multi-packs of the skinny variety to stay in control of how much you munch during your favourite Santa flick.
- Out and about and fancy a hot chocolate? Why not! Ask for a skinny hot chocolate or feel just as Christmassy with a Chai tea instead.
- Paint your nails… that may keep you off the mince pies for a little bit! (Can you tell I’m craving a mince pie?)
- Make more time for your spuds over Christmas, and put them in the oven for longer to roast, rather than depending on lots of cooking oil or goose fat to crisp them up.
- Transform you everyday porridge, deserts or hot drinks into something festive with a sprinkle of cinnamon – plus, this little spice is really good for you.
- Read my blog for inspiration or to at least feel you are not alone if you’re plans, don’t go to plan!
- To help balance out any extra food or drink you might have, squeeze in a little more activity before or after any festive occasions you have booked.
- Create your own healthy hamper to have around the house for when you fancy a snack. I’m a big fan of Bounce Balls, Naked bars, and protein shakes.
- Buy yourself an early Christmas present – some new workout clothes, walking gear, or a pedometer so that you feel more motivated to keep moving while its cold outside.
- Download a food diary app and track what you eat before munching, you can then make an informed decision as to whether its worth the calories or SmartPoints (if you follow Weight Watchers like I do).
- Serve up some warming one pot meals. They can be super healthy and packed with loads of veggies.
- Decide if you’re happy to lose weight, maintain weight or gain a little weight over Christmas – this may help you navigate certain situations with more control.
- If you have a foodie event coming up it can sometimes be tempting to skip meals beforehand – unfortunately that can lead binge eating and reaching for high sugary and fat options. Eat as you would usually and enjoy a little indulgence if that happens. It’s Christmas after all!
- Most importantly, relax! Whatever happens, enjoy your Christmas and if you’re weight goes in a direction you’re not too happy with, then there’s always January to get back on track!
I hope you found some of these tips useful and please share any advice you may have in the comments box below.
Happy holidays! xx
Photo: This is a pic from an Ocado magazine I received – it contains mouth-watering pages.