Diet tips to prevent a blowout this Christmas

The festive season is finally here which means many people will be overindulging in the lead up to Christmas.

While many people work hard to keep fit and healthy all year, December is usually the month that many people let themselves go and undo all their hard work from the previous months.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying yourself during the holiday season, but there are ways to do it without completely letting yourself go.

Thankfully there are some simple tricks you can do to ensure that you still enjoy yourself without suffering a massive blowout this Christmas. This time of year is full of more foods that we usually wouldn’t eat, but that there are ways to avoid stuffing yourself sick.

Don’t eat too quickly

While it can be really easy to over-indulge and shovel as much food in your face as possible, it’s not doing your body an favours. In addition to making you feel nauseous, it won’t be difficult for the added fats and sugars to make their way to your waist.

Instead of robbing yourself of the joy of these tasty Christmas snacks altogether, simply eat them slowly. Doing so is going to allow you to savour the flavour without harming your body. You’ll also find that your box of chocolates or jar of cashews lasts longer.

Opt for quality over quantity

At this time of year, plenty of bulk-buy packs of unhealthy snacks make their way onto supermarket shelves. While it can be easy to opt for a big bag of lollies over one that’s half the size and double the price, you could actually be filling your body with harmful preservatives. The same goes for items such as meats, frozen foods and finger foods.

Try and opt for quality over quantity to ensure that even if you are eating junk food, you are still putting the best possible standard of food in your body.

Maintain a balanced diet

Many of us look forward to Christmas for the tasty treats we get to eat, but it’s really important to try and maintain a healthy balance when it comes to your diet. If you’re going to increase your levels of junk foods and products full of sugar and fat, try and balance it with healthy fruits, salads and vegetables. It’s also important not to starve yourself ahead of a big meal. You’ll actually be slowing down your metabolism and your body will hold on to the bad foods you actually consume.

Stay active

While it can be easy to relax on the lounge after eating a pretty big meal, it’s important to make sure that you remain active over the Christmas period. Whether it’s taking a dip in the pool or going for a walk around the block, it’s important to keep your body moving to try and burn off the extra kilojoules you’re putting into your body.

Limit your drinks

It can be really easy to hit the bottle a little too hard when your house is full of guests or when you’re invited to numerous Christmas parties with family and friends, but drinking too much is not good for your health.

While you don’t have to give it up completely, there are some small things you can do. Firstly, opt for light versions of your favourite drinks where possible.

Make sure you drink water between drinks and even dilute certain alcoholic beverages such as wine. It’s also a good idea to try and set yourself a drinking limit for each drinking event.

What’s your tip to avoiding a blowout at Christmas?