It really is the most wonderful time of the year. Everyone is jolly, family and friends are coming together, and in Dubai, the weather is amazing. The only thing that may suffer this festive season is our waistlines. The Christmas Kilo (or four) is a very common occurrence, and this is why the fitness and diet industry always boom in January - everyone wants to work off their sins! But as far as I'm concerned, my first priority over the festive period is having a good time, so here are 3 tips to avoiding those Christmas Kilos, without having to miss out!
1) Exercise
This may seem incredibly obvious, but one way to hold unwanted kgs at bay is to get sweaty. For those who already exercise regularly, fitting in a couple of extra workouts a week should do the trick. But remember, not everything has to be high intensity...sometimes the best thing to do is, quite literally, stretch. Over the festive period I try to attend more hot yoga classes, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I feel like my body needs a deep, sweaty stretch out to help keep water retention and sore muscles at bay. Secondly, it makes me feel good; and that's really all that matters. Even if it's just an extra walk around the block after dinner, keep moving this festive season!
2) Eat & Drink Mindfully
Those who know me well, know I have an undying love for snack food, and at Christmas this is in full force. It also seems that people eat out more often at this time of year. I would never say no to a mince pie or quality street, but I do ensure that I'm eating healthy, balanced meals around 80% of the time. One way of doing this is starting the day right. Make sure your breakie has a balance of lean protein (maybe eggs?), fibre (veg) and fats (avocado?). Try and fit in a fresh salad with lean protein and plenty of veg for lunch. That way, come dinner time, you've had your fair share of veg for the day, and you can be a little more lenient with your dinner choices.
The jolly festive season usually involves more drinking (hello mulled wine). Unless you're a total scrooge, theres not a lot of ways around this. Instead of avoiding alcohol, make sure you're making 'lighter' choices and ensure you're drinking enough water to keep headaches at bay. Try to increase your water intake by another litre per day. Not only will this reduce hangovers, but it will stop you from over eating too. It's true what they say - usually your 'hunger' is actually thirst. So reach for the H2O first...and then if you're still hungry go for the tin of Quality Street ;)
3) Rest
Probably my favourite part of Christmas is that it's socially acceptable to wear pyjamas and Christmas jumpers all day. Make the most of your time at home, get plenty of rest and a good night's sleep as often as possible. Unless you're running around like a mad elf trying to buy last minute Christmas presents, the festive season is usually a feel-good time, so make the most of the happy hormones and say goodbye to stress! If you're chilled and happy you'll find it surprisingly easy to keep the kilos at bay!
Happy Holidays everybody!
V x
