Tips To Balance The Festivities
Do you struggle to practise balance around the festive season? You’re not alone!
For many of us, the Festive Season is a time of joy, togetherness, and delicious food! While this should be celebrated and embraced, it can be a challenge to maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle amongst the social demands of this time of year.
But here's the good news: you can enjoy the celebrations without feeling deprived and still stay on track with your goals!
Here are some easy-to-follow tips to help you find balance, while enjoying the festivities and navigate the holidays with ease, ensuring that you can have your cake (or gingerbread cookie) and eat it too!
Savour, Don't Shovel
Holiday meals are a time to savour, not shovel.
Rather than piling your plate high and eating quickly, take smaller portions and savour each bite. By doing so, you can appreciate the flavours and textures without overindulging. Savouring your food also helps to slow your eating down so you can tune into your hunger and fullness cues easier.
Stay Active With Variety
Stay active during the holidays by engaging in activities and exercise you enjoy.
Take the pressure off your need to hit goals in the gym and instead engage in exercise you enjoy, and wouldn’t normally do. Gather your friends for a dance party, organise a game of holiday charades, or take a post-meal walk.
Staying active should be enjoyable, and can help you balance out those extra holiday treats, while keeping you feeling good!
Create Healthy Homemade Swaps
If you're the host or contributing to a festive meal, consider making healthy swaps a part of the table. Supplying wholesome options such as roast vegetables, fresh salads, and lean protein sources, allows you to build a nice balanced meal, whilst still savouring the holiday treats.
Eating balanced doesn’t mean we need to sacrifice taste or enjoyment, we can have the best of both worlds!
Sip Mindfully
While indulging in festive beverages is part of the fun, it's essential to do so mindfully. Choose your favourite holiday drinks in moderation, and alternate them with some water.
Staying hydrated can help control your appetite and prevent overindulgence.
Balance Your Plate
At holiday feasts, aim for a balanced plate to eliminate the ‘all-or-nothing’ approach to your nutrition and healthy lifestyle.
Load up on colourful vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains alongside your festive favourites. This ensures you're nourishing your body with the nutrients it needs while also enjoying all the yummy foods and desserts you desire.
Have a Great Time!
If you typically maintain a strict approach to your diet and exercise routine all year long, we understand you might be a little apprehensive about loosening up during the festive season.
But remember, a few moments of indulgence and a break from your usual training won't undermine all the hard work you've put in.
So go ahead and savour that piece of pie, help yourself to seconds during family gatherings, and please, don't harbour any guilt for indulging during the holidays. We are all about discovering a balanced and sustainable lifestyle that you can maintain throughout the year.
If you need help staying active and eating balanced throughout the holiday season, the Move With Us App will be your best friend!
Our goal is to help you in developing and maintaining a positive relationship with nutrition and learning how to embrace balance, especially during these times of year.
Celebrate with joy, indulge with mindfulness, and make lasting memories with friends and family, all while maintaining your health and nutrition goals. Cheers to a joyful, balanced, and guilt-free holiday season!
