With holidays just around the corner, eating well and exercising often takes a back seat. We all deserve to treat ourselves, and have a break from the norm, especially over the silly season! Now, we’re not here to tell you not to enjoy yourselves, but we are here to give you some tips on how to not overindulge toooo much…
- Watch your portion sizes
Around the Christmas and New Year period, your eyes are always bigger than your stomach. With all of the great food, particularly when laid out in a grazing manner, it’s very easy to pile all of the goodness onto a plate. By all means, try everything, but just be mindful of your portion sizes. If the food is THAT good, go back for seconds, but more often than not, you’ll feel pretty satisfied if you wait 5 minutes before going back for round two.
- Get plenty of sleep
Is there anything better than the nap between Christmas lunch, and leftover Christmas dinner? Studies tell us that people who don’t get enough sleep often tend to be hungrier, exercise less, and consume more calories. So, we definitely recommend going for that arvo nap.
- Be sure to have balanced meals
It can be very tempting to prioritize dessert, or the snacks before lunch or dinner but be sure to keep your meals balanced. This means adding plenty of protein and vegetables to your plate, and not skipping on the fruit from the pav!
- Use a smaller plate
As previously mentioned, your eyes are often bigger than your stomach. This can also be a positive. When you use a smaller plate, you basically trick yourself into thinking you’re eating more. When you fill a small plate, it makes you think you’re eating a full plate!
- Snack wisely
It’s important you’re mindful of your snacking habits. If you’re sitting around a table, chatting away with friends and family, and there’s a grazing platter in front of you, it is normal to graze throughout the day. But ask yourself, are you actually hungry, or are you just eating because it’s there? Have a big glass of water and see if you’re still peckish – realistically, you probably won’t be. You’ll also have more room for dinner!
We wish you all a Merry Festive Season – enjoy!