It’s my favourite time of the year! There is something about the festive season that really gets my heart all warm and fuzzy. Who am I kidding, its clearly warm feels from all the food I’m looking forward to eating! Those Christmas spreads be so real, I attended party this weekend and we had a ridiculous amount of food to choose from. And to make it even better, each dish was homemade – bring and eat type of feels.
There was marathon chicken, pap, matangara, mussels, green salad, bean stew and a selection of alcohol that could stock up a mini bar. I believe that healthy living is about enjoying everything in moderation – deprivation is never allowed in my kitchen and shouldn’t be a part of your end of year celebrations! Unfortunately, the temptation to over-indulge in food and drink is more present in this season.
So here’s how you can stick to your goals this festive season!
Continue Prioritising You Health Daily: Just because its that time of the year, doesn’t mean you have to risk it all and let it all hang out – if you know what I mean. Maintain the healthy habits you’ve worked so hard to make stick and start the day with an activity. It doesn’t have to a long session in the gym, you can even work up a sweat in the comfort of your own home, try this simple body weight routine to get the blood pumping and fat burning. 💪
Stay Woke: There will always be a healthier option, choose it. Just be aware to not consciously deprive yourself of food that will only leave you frustrated and you’ll be more likely to overeat. So indulge but moderately.
What Time Do the the Throats Open?: Go easy on the drinks, especially when it comes to soft drinks – all that sugar is a NO NO for your waistline. Instead, opt for some cold water, trust me its the better thirst quencher! And try to drink a glass of water in between your refills.
Don’t Run on Empty: Don’t skip meals, you will be famished and make bad bad food choices. Make an effort to eat even if it just a snack, choose a healthy one like a banana or some nuts and raisins. Also, drinking on an empty stomach can overload your liver and cause inflammation within your digestive tract. Most alcohol absorption takes place in the stomach and having little nibble before the drinks begin to flow can notably slow the absorption process. Try to eat foods with a decent fat content before going out, foods like salmon, avocado and cheese increase satiety (how full you feel) and slow down gastric emptying.
Remember that it’s not a case of all or nothing when it comes to your diet during the festive season. Many people are tempted to throw caution to the wind, eat everything they want and worry about the results when it comes time to make those pesky New Year’s resolutions. But trust me, you will feel better about yourself (and dread Janu-worry less) if you take a few reasonable precautions to minimize the effects of festive indulgence. On the other hand, there is no need to deprive yourself – it is perfectly okay to indulge in some naught festive treats.
Remember it’s all about balance and moderation!
On that note, Merry Christmas and very Happy New Year!
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-Emily Kandanga
