So I am sure we are looking forward to having some good times over the festive season.

Let’s face it the past few have not exactly been ones to remember but now with pandemic firmly behind us it is surely time to let our hair down (metaphorically in my case) and indulge in some of that festive fun. I know I certainly will be!

Having some beers, sharing a glass or 2 of mulled wine on cold nights with friends and enjoying some tasty food is an integral part of most of our xmas’.

However, doing the job I do and I see the same patterns repeat year after year. Many start off with great intentions of obtaining a good balance of festive fun and maintaining a healthy (ish) routine. However, this often starts to slide and around 3rd week in December and we can find ourselves feeling frustrated, out of control and fearing a mountain to climb come the first week in January just to get back to where we were en early December.

Fear not! What follows are some simple strategies to keep you in good shape and in good spirts this Xmas

Focus on what can control

Those parties/events you feel obliged to attend but would rather not!

There are going to be occasions this festive period that you “have to” attend despite not really wanting to go. Decipher which ones these are (really think about this) and then create a damage limitation strategy for such occasions.

For such occasions I suggest:

Eating a healthy meal before so you don’t snack
Limit your alcohol intake to 2 drinks or don’t drink. Alcohol-free options are way better now
Leave as soon as it is polite to do so but make sure you have a good excuse to hand in case others try to tempt you to stay

Parties/Events you do want to attend

These are the ones that mean actually mean something to you. This, in most cases will likely be under 5. For such occasions I suggest:

Skip breakfast that day
Walk more than you normally would
Do an additional training session that week
Letting your hair down and enjoying your time with those that matter most to you

The Xmas week

This can be joyful but also pretty glutinous and boozy. Once those ‘celebrations/quality streets’ are open and the champers are flowing it is hard to say no. Do try to not overindulge but focus on measures to help counteract any over-indulgences by doing the following:

Going for long walks daily- most people are off. Take advantage of this.
Adopt a 2 meal strategy (brunch/lunch & dinner)
Stay off the booze until dinner
Try to exercise consciously each day- go for a run, go to the gym, do some yoga, do an online HIIT class, do your local parkrun on Xmas day- I defo will be.

Meals out on the lead up to Xmas

This is part of the furniture for most of us. Meals out are pretty caloric affairs at the best of times (25-40% more kcals than it says on the menu). However, you can massive mitigate this by incorporating some of the following:

Look at the menu online prior to going and decide on a healthy but tasty option
Order only 2 courses (starter and main)
Have the bread instead of a starter (no dessert)
Set a 2-drink limit
Skip breakfast and/ or lunch that day

Dealing with and making healthy choices with a hangover

This is bloody hard but you can apply some simple hacks to counter this temptation. These include:

Fast the following day until lunch- drinks lots if you choose this option. Drinking lots of mineral water before going to bed and on awakening- the minerals/electrolytes will limit the dehydration effect and counter blood sugar drops/cravings
Walk home if it is safe and practical to do so- the time between your last drink and your falling asleep is critical for the quality of your sleep and how you feel the following day.
Go for a walk as soon as you wake up. It will be hard to motivate yourself to do this but you will feel so much better by doing it. Even if it is only 5 mins.
If the following day is a work day try to schedule calls that you can take on the move. Movement stimulates the lymphatic system which is what gets rid of the hangover.
Try to make sure the first-bit food you put in your body nourishes you. Your body has been poisoned. It is screaming out for nutrients.
Take a multi-vit or some vitamin C on awakening.

Maintaining a healthy routine during the festive period

This is possible but it probably has to be scaled back a bit for most. Set realistic expectations for yourself here based on previous years (not your normal day-to-day) and try to beat what you managed to achieve the last time around. For example:

If you normally exercise/train 3 days a week set a target of 2 and if you manage 3 or more happy days
Look to increase your walking more in this period, especially when you are off and don't have the pressures of work.
Try to eat as normally as you can in and around the ‘big meals’.
Try to use this time as an opportunity to get more sleep. Poor sleep equals poor choices, which equals consequences. Get as much sleep as you can.

The above hopefully provide you with some helpful advice to help you navigate a fun but often challenging time for many of us. December is always a maintenance month for both myself and the majority of my clients. I don’t concern myself with moving “the needle” forward. My sole aim is to do enough of the things that keep me where I am.

How to best navigate 'Silly Season'

Focus on what can control