Cheer but no chubbiness
WE ALL know the silly season is prime time for kilo creep. Here’s how to support your weight loss goals and still enjoy your chock-a-block schedule with no regrets.
Win the booze battle
For most of us, avoiding alcohol around Christmas is close to impossible. But look for the lower calorie options (without whipping out the calorie counter at the bar). Think spritzers or simply alternating with a glass of water in between rounds to help curb the liquid calories and maintain hydration.
Home in on hormones
Among the joys of it all, the build-up to Christmas can also be anything but merry. When we’re stressed, we produce a hormone called cortisol. When elevated, it favours body fat storage, particularly around the belly, plus tells your brain to signal hunger. Find ways other than food and booze to address your stress. Be it a brisk walk, five minutes of meditation or deep calming breaths.
Mind the munchies
The Christmas lead-up brings weekly cheese platters, office parties, pre-holiday catch-ups and an excess of Ferrero Rochers. What’s your defence? The plan. If you know you have an event coming up, make sure you’ve eaten something healthy beforehand. Never turn up hungry (or hangry).
Keep on lifting
A lot of people let their training slip in the lead-up to Christmas because there’s always a “better offer”. So, adjust your workout schedule to suit your social calendar. The ideal exercise program for weight loss includes a combination of cardio and weights.
Fire up your fibre
Health experts agree that a key to a healthy weight and immune system lies in keeping the vast number of microbes living in your gut happy – and this can be increasingly hard to maintain as the festivities soar. One of the most important nutrients for gut health is resistant starch, which is a type of fibre that resists digestion and ferments in the gut to stimulate the growth of “friendly” bacteria. You can find this in everyday foods such as oats, lentils, peas, beans, barley and cooked then cooled rice (like sushi).