Happy and Healthy Christmas
All year, you've worked to create, maintain and keep on track with your health and fitness goals, so don't throw all that effort away because Rudolf is on his way!
First, indulging is a healthy part of life; strict limitations do nobody or mind any favours. However, continuing your health goals during the festive season and finding nutrition in the festivities is possible.
Below are 4 tips to keep on the health bandwagon, including healthy twists and tips to help you have a nutritious, fun, festive Christmas. Enjoy!
TIP # 1 - Sweet thang
Sugar is everywhere!! It is hard to avoid, but below are my tips to help to avoid a sugar hangover!
Get fruity with your desserts. Fruit brings sweetness to desserts and provides a good dose of antioxidants and fibre. Poached pears, baked apples, and grilled bananas with chocolate are all awesome alternative desserts.
Avoid Christmas-flavoured coffees and hot chocolates. These contain staggering amounts of sugar!!!
Add vanilla essence ( not syrup) or cinnamon to coffee, cookies, crumbles, custard, and cream desserts. Both add beautiful, sweet flavours, meaning less sugar is needed.
Do not deny all sugary things; just remember, a little doesn't mean you have to finish the tub of chocs!
JELLY! Opt for the low-sugar version or make it yourself from scratch with fruit and gelatine; this wobbly, whimsical, joyful dessert will answer your sweetness craving. Never been sad eating jelly...
TIP # 2 - The Liquid Diet
For some of you, the Christmas session will mean office parties, mulled wine whilst watching the choir, drinks with the girls, and a bottle of Bailey somewhere. Many will argue that the only way to be totally health is no alcohol at all, but I'm going to be honest with you- whilst many of us are drinking less.... it's the season. So here are a few tips for you to drink responsibly:
Alcohol prevents the body from digesting food; the body is effectively desperate to get it out of its system, and it becomes the focus. Calories from alcohol do not replace food. Also, eating before you drink can significantly delay the effects of alcohol.
Soda over tonic, easy low-sugar, low-cal switches
Premixed cocktails are often made with highly concentrated syrup juices, not fresh juices. Forget hangover. You'll be hit with a sugar coma after these. Opt for those made with fresh juice or looking for low-sugar flavoured soda options.
Drink the drink you actually enjoy.
Non-alcoholic drinks, soda, beers, and hot chocolate do contain calories- shock, horror! People overlook this throughout the year, let alone when a gingerbread man rides some whipped cream on their drink. All will contribute to your caloric intake.
Size does matter. I have never seen a group of lads drinking pint after pint of water. Switch from pints to halves or bottles, less liquid, less calories.
The next day don’t opt for high carb choices, you’ll minimise big dips and peaks in your blood glucose.
Drink water through the evening/day.
TIP # 3 - SIMPLE SWAPS
No one wants added aggravation on Christmas Day. Consider these straightforward swaps:
Switch refined white sugar for raw honey or maple syrup. Sugar is sugar, but these will have some added benefits and flavours.
Reduced the amount of oil or butter in dishes. If you know gravy or other sauces will mask flavours, do you really need all the extra fat?
Swap refined white flour for almond, oat or buckwheat flour.
Could you (brace yourself) steam some of your veggies instead of roasting them?
Make custard from scratch, even from the powder. You control the amount of sugar; pick the milk of your choice.
Replace a "dollop" of cream with a full-fat luscious natural yoghurt.
Grated dark chocolate will provide a bigger chocolatey hit than its sugar sister, milk chocolate.
TIP # 4 - JOY
Christmas is an exhilarating time of year, and it's all about embracing joy, not guilt! Whether you go headfirst into the glittery magic of Christmas or keep it light, the festive season is the perfect chance to celebrate and share scrumptious meals with your closest and dearest. So rather than banding or restricting yourself, put vibrant twists on your holiday favourites—by adding a healthy spin, you're not only showing love for food and wellness but also spreading joy to those around you.
Remember, you can be both healthy and happy.