Christmas Cheat Sheet

It is that time of year when we can let our hair down a little. However some of us may want to know how to limit the damage during this festive period.

What can you do to help with the nights out and recovery? Training, how much do you have to do to maintain? Not to mention managing the dreaded staff party hangover.

Training doesnt come first for our clients during this period.

Firstly clients of ours train consistently and they train hard when they can. They are held accountable to their own wellness and health.

As we assess their stress Levels, Work life balance and Movement / training habits we understand that there is a period of the year when you NEED to destress and let the body go a little… May I reinforce the phrase ‘a little’.

Our clients and ourselves as coaches have christmas parties. We eat cake, drink a few glasses of wine or beers and we now and again wake up with a sore head.

These are the top tips we use to manage the damage...

The Nights out
 

Set out a choice of what you are going to indulge in. Accept that its the christmas period and that it is the time to have the christmas pudding.

DO NOT obsess about the food and drinks you are having. This causes needless stress and the stress alone can actually cause your hormone profile to change overtime and cause more anxiety about food and do more damage to your weight than food ever could.

For the nights out the first thing you want to do is prepare yourself for what’s coming. Meaning ensure that you hydrate well and have a meal that has some starch in it (carbs). This along with your portion of protein will help with absorbing the alcohol if you are drinking. (an obvious one but you would be surprised).

 

The scales & tracking your weight

The scales will change daily. Put it away. However, ensure that you keep some kind of exercise routine going. Maybe set a goal of being able to row 2km in under 10 minutes by the new year. This goal will help you track your fitness.

By having a goal for december it will allow you to focus more on progress during this fesitve period and automatically have you in a more positive mindset.

Oh also as a by-product this good goal and habit of exercise you have introduced to your lifestyle will keep those clothes fitting as normal and the scales happy. (To be honest we dont like our clients weighing themselves especially females but that's a different post).

Training & Routine

Keep a routine. When all else fails at least you have some headspace. It is a stressfull time of year. That has to be understood and accepted. Plan your week and days. Fit in 30 minutes of activity. Preferably lifting weights to help with retaining the muscle mass you have which is the furnace to burning all those calories we are consuming.

Food over the holiday period

Christmas dinner and dinners. The holiday period has plenty of opportunities to indulge. Simply though let us be smart about all of this.

Choose a smaller plate. Plate up a smaller portion.

Its misconstrued that we need to pile our plate high at Christmas. You don’t. Just put a smaller portion on the plate.

I promise you-you will enjoy Christmas day a LOT more as there is more of a chance of managing your food and you will feel better.

Supplements for damage control.

 

Whey protein, Vitamin C and Vitamin D.

If you find yourself rushed off your feet and in need to a quick snack just grab a protein shake of some kind. Protein makes you feel fuller for longer. Especially when you are shopping and need to grab something fast.

Vitamin C helps with the stress hormone cortisol while also being vital for burning belly fat ( cortisol and abdominal fat are linked btw). Vitamin D is awesome this time of year too. With it being Christmas it is also flu season. We don’t get much sunshine so it is vital that we supplement on Vitamin D to help with our mood but also our bone mineral density.

If you would like to know a little more or want some advice send us a message below by replying to this post.

Or if you would like to know how you can de-stress and allow someone else to manage your fitness and health why not enquire about a Free consultation with one of our coaches.

Have a great Christmas. Make sure you enjoy it.