How not to gain weight over Christmas
It’s fair to say that most people find their weight fluctuates over Christmas which is mainly due to the increased intake of carbohydrates (all those delicious roast potatoes and parsnips), plus alcohol and sugar-rich desserts and treats. However, most people probably aren’t aware of this fluctuation unless they actually jump on the scales on a daily basis (which I don’t recommend!).
When you add in the fact that many of us are more sedentary over Christmas, whether that’s due to long family meals, travelling or simply because we’re relaxing in front of Christmas TV, then this can add to those extra pounds sticking to our bodies in unwanted places!
So, what’s the best way to avoid weight gain over the festive season?
Keep moving! If you are sitting down for long periods then do get up and move around at least once an hour and try to get out in the fresh air for a walk every day. It doesn’t have to be a long walk, even 30 minutes at a moderate pace will help.
If you’re eating ‘buffet style’, serve yourself a regular portion size of your favourite foods and avoid heading back for extra portions. That way you get to enjoy all your Christmas favourites without piling in thousands of extra calories.
Eat protein with every meal. At Christmas it’s easy to pile your plate with carbohydrates, so do make sure you eat some protein with every meal and have a couple of bites of the protein first. Protein foods generally take longer to chew so this slows you down at the start of a meal, especially important when you’re really hungry.
Drink lots of water. In the colder months it’s easy to forget about drinking water and instead fill up with tea, coffee and hot chocolate, but drinking water will boost your metabolism and take the edge off your hunger - and hopefully avoid that extra cheeky sausage roll in the kitchen while no-one’s looking! Aim for around 2 litres every day.
Pile up the veggies. Vegetables are low in calories and fat and high in fibre and nutrients, so they’re an important part of your plate all year round. Aim to have half your plate filled with vegetables (without sauces), then a quarter of your plate will be protein and the final quarter starchy carbohydrates. Where the only choice is white rice, white pasta or white potatoes, reduce the portion size of these and have a little extra protein and vegetables. Refined (white) carbohydrates will mess up your blood sugar levels and leave you craving more sweets later in the day (which is a disaster when the box of chocolates is passed around!).
Of course, it’s very important to relax and enjoy special time with family and friends so the last thing you really want to be worrying about is what you eat! So whether you overindulge this Christmas or simply want to start the year with a healthy eating plan to drop a few pounds, I’ve created a 7 Day Weight Loss Plan starting on 2nd January to help you start the New Year the right way. BUT you can start your plan on ANY date in January to suit you.
You can find all the details here and registration is now open!
Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas,
Pippa x