Happy AND Healthy: Simone's Christmas Tips

I have so much admiration for those people who can maintain their healthy lifestyles over Christmas.  You’ve seen them; jogging along the roads in the dark mornings, sharing their kettlebell classes over Twitter and shunning even the merest sniff of a chocolate.  But while I’d love to be able to be a part of that tribe, the reality is that I’m not.  I’m a divil for sugar and can be quite lazy at the best of times so Christmas gives me the perfect excuse to put my feet up, have the fire on, and old movies on the TV with a tin of choccies beside me.

For those of you followed my Gym Virgin Diaries, you’ll know that I recently lost a significant amount of weight.  I have most certainly gained a little of it back, as a family wedding, led into a holiday in the States which has slid neatly into Christmas, so all in all I’ve had about 6 weeks ‘off the wagon’.  But am I going to give up?   Hell no!  I’ve worked too hard to let this slide.  I am going to let myself enjoy the holidays, but come Jan 5^th I am back on that wagon with a vengeance.

Here are some tips, shared with me, that I plan to follow over the coming weeks, to limit the damage and then start afresh in a couple of weeks time.

• Eat Breakfast – if you start the day full and satisfied, you are less likely to reach for the tin of Roses by 10am.  Porridge is a great filler and you can jazz it up with cinnamon and apple or banana, seeds, berry compote etc.  Alternatively eggs are a winner.  Have poached eggs with avocado and some rye toast.
• Move – even if it’s a slow stroll around the block, get off the couch at least once a day and do something.  If you can jog or even go to the gym then fantastic.  But if that’s just a step too far then how about bundling yourself and a loved one or two into the car and heading to a local beauty spot for some fresh air?  You’ll appreciate the couch and the fire so much more on your return.
• Don’t buy tins of sweets/biscuits – come on now, you don’t need a whole tin!  Leave that to the mammy and indulge when you’re at her house.  If it’s in yours you know that the reality is it’s likely you’re the only one who’s going to polish it off over the break.  So instead of have a tin of sweets in your tummy, you will only have a handful or two.  Not great, but better than the alternative.
• Drink water – it’s an oldie but a goodie.  Not only will it help your liver cope with the additional alcohol sloshing around it, but it will also curb your appetite (a little!)
• Fresh is best – the traditional Christmas dinner isn’t actually that bad for you.  Think about it, lean turkey and veg.  It’s the other stuff that we fill up on around it that’s the problem, pudding, cake, mince pies, cheese, pate (mmmm…) So where possible, choose unprocessed foods.  Soup is a fantastic way to get your veg into you and will fill you up.  Even just limit your indulgence food to one meal per day instead of all 3.

I’d love to hear any other tips that you might have for me.  I can’t promise that I’ll follow them all but I’m certainly going to try!  And I’ll check back in with you in the New Year to see how you’re all getting on with your own resolutions and to update you on my own progress.

Have a very Merry Christmas and hopefully a happy and healthy New Year!