How to Enjoy the Holiday Season and Stay Healthy
You’re already on your midlife weight-loss journey. You’re starting to build healthy habits – you’re moving more, sleeping better, and your clothes already feel a little looser. You’ve discovered some healthy meals packed with clean, nutritious foods that are leaving you full, satisfied, and excited to explore new recipes. So far, so amazing…
But what’s that? The sound of sleigh bells is in the air, and, with it, all of the big meals, alcohol, and excess that often comes at this time of year. Whether you’re just starting your weight-loss journey, or you have a few months of building healthy habits behind you, this time of year can be intimidating. Will your progress disappear after a few mince pies too many? Will your hard-fought healthy routines be lost to late nights and a packed social calendar?
The first thing to do is to go easy on yourself. If you eat and drink a little more than usual at this time of year – you won’t be alone – and a few big meals and celebratory get-togethers won’t throw all your hard work out of the window. Give yourself space to indulge a little more than usual – if you feel comfortable doing so – while keeping a foundation of healthy habits to ensure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste.
Here are some ways to stay on track whatever Christmas throws at you.
Indulge mindfully
What do you really enjoy eating or drinking at this time of year?
It’s easy to get sucked into a ‘more is more’ attitude which sees you indulging for weeks on end and eating and drinking high-calorie, high-sugar, and low-nutrient foods that leave you constantly bloated and exhausted.
Try to approach food mindfully – eating those things that will genuinely give you pleasure while ensuring you include healthy, clean, and nutritious meals alongside some indulgent treats. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing and learning to approach food mindfully is a great skill to develop as you continue on your weight-loss journey.
There is no ‘naughty or nice’ here – just approaching eating in a sensible way that serves you and your weight-loss goals.
Watch alcohol intake
Alcohol kills restraint and sensible eating. Not only does alcohol lower our inhibitions, but it also has a negative impact on how our bodies store fat – suppressing fat burning in the same way as carbohydrates. It can also impact hormonal balance, increasing cortisol levels and throwing your metabolism out of sync.
In short, alcohol isn’t good for us, and you should aim to keep it to a minimum, even at this time of year.
By keeping moderate drinking to one or two days a week over the festive period, you can give your body plenty of time to detox and recover. If you are drinking alcohol, it’s essential to stay hydrated (see my tips below!) and match every glass of the hard stuff with some good old-fashioned H2O.
Keep moving
It’s so tempting to just stop. You’ve worked hard all year, you’re tired, it’s cold, and part of you just wants to hibernate. But regular movement supports your mental and physical health while helping to burn off some of those extra festive calories.
By keeping moving, through a workout, or simply a brisk daily walk, you can prevent that sluggish feeling that often comes with overeating and spending lots of time indoors.
Get fresh air and sunlight, and, most of all, keep your body moving! It’s amazing how putting in a little energy can help us feel more energised the rest of the time.
Stay hydrated
When you eat rich food and indulge in alcohol in warm houses it’s easy to get dehydrated fast.
Plenty of pure H20 will help to stave off brain fog and leave you feeling bright and energised even if you’re tired or you’ve eaten or drunk a bit more than you were planning to.
What’s more – just like with regular exercise – when you stay hydrated, you’re much more likely to make healthy choices. When they’re feeling dehydrated, foggy, and exhausted people often reach for caffeine or high-sugar snacks which offer an immediate energy boost followed by an even greater slump. Instead, when you feel that festive fatigue, reach for a simple glass of water!
Perhaps you’ve not started your midlife or menopause weight-loss journey yet, and you’re worried that the holiday season will delay your progress or derail your health kick before it’s begun.
It doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, the extra time and space that many of us have over the next few weeks offer a chance to reflect, plan, and think about the healthy changes you want to make for the long term. You could even take this opportunity to implement one new healthy habit, perhaps committing to a nutritious, well-balanced breakfast every day. It doesn’t sound like much, but these baby steps all add up to big changes over the long term.
I hope you have a healthy, restful, and happy holiday season. Enjoy yourself. Relax. And take time to care for yourself and your body.
I’ll be back with more midlife and menopause weight-loss tips and advice in 2025!
Di x
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