With  just a few weeks to go before Christmas, your diary is probably filling up with parties, drinks and various social events. When there is so much going on, it’s easy to throw in the towel when it comes to your health and fitness. Not only do we get out of our usual routines, but there seems to be something about this time of year that makes us seriously and actively over indulge. We drink far more than usual. Eat until we can barely move. Consume an enormous amount of snack foods, fail to leave the sofa for days on end… for no other reason than “You’ve got to at Christmas, haven’t you?” Sound familiar? 

Come January do you find yourself feeling unfit, unhealthy and generally a bit grotty? Wishing you hadn’t eaten and drunk quite so much?

 It doesn’t have to be that way. You can still enjoy all the festivities of the season and get through the Christmas period without too much impact on your health; both physical and mental, or your waistline. 

 These are some of my top tips for staying healthy over the Christmas period.

In the run up to Christmas…

Is it just me or does it seem like people start getting in the Christmas spirit earlier every year? Although traditionally a time when we over indulge, this seems to have changed from just being Christmas Day and Boxing Day, to most of December! While a couple of days of over indulging probably won’t cause more than a hangover and a bit of indigestion, a few weeks is a different matter.

Don’t make it last all week. 

Just because you may be off work for an extended period, that doesn’t mean you have to treat every day like Christmas day. Pick a couple of days to eat, drink and be merry. The rest of the time try to stick with your normal life routine, whatever that may be.

Just have one Christmas dinner. 

With invites from work, friends and family you may find you have plenty of Christmas parties to attend in the run up to Christmas, it’s quite easy to find yourself feeling stuffed and sick of the sight of turkey by the 25th. While delicious and enjoyable a traditional Christmas dinner can have in excess of 3,000 calories; which is more than a whole day’s recommended calories for many people. So save the Christmas dinner for Christmas Day!

Step away from the supermarket snack bargains! 

You know what I mean! We typically buy a huge amount of snack food. Usually sweets, chocolates, cheese and crisps to eat over the festive period. Often, we then we feel guilty for having so much food in the house we try and eat it all to get it out of the way by January! A sure-fire way to over eat and generally feel rubbish!

Block sessions in your diary to keep on track. 

If you are a regular exerciser, try to continue to your routine over the festive period. I find the best way to ensure this happens is to put the sessions in my diary. Make time for your fitness, even if it’s just 20 minutes here are there.

Christmas Day and that weird period between Christmas and New Year.

You know that time, where you spend much of your time in a cheese induced daze and no one is really sure what day it is.

Back off the booze a little. 

It is so easy to drink out of boredom over this period… or just because you can. You don’t have to drink with every meal and every evening just because it’s Christmas. While it can obviously be very enjoyable, alcohol has a lot of negative effects on our bodies. It negatively impacts the quality of our sleep, weakens our immune systems, often leads us to make poor food choices, not to mention being very high in calories!

Get outside every day! 

Boredom can easily set in during the Christmas break, so make some plans that involve leaving the house. Go for family walks, drop cards and presents off, or walk to the shop instead of jumping in the car. Even just 30 minutes out and about will do wonders for your wellbeing and mood.

Stress less

The festive period must be the most stressful time of the year for a lot of people, what with going over budget, endless to do lists, spending hours wrapping the perfectly presented gifts, the mammoth task of getting Christmas dinner out on time, popping here there and everywhere to see various family members so no one is offended… Just take a deep breath and remind yourself, it’s just one day; chill out and enjoy it. 

Turn off the TV and do something for your brain.

Yes, we all love an Only Fools and Horses special, but instead of zoning out staring at the screen, do something to engage your brain instead. This can also be a great way to get everyone involved and interacting… Monopoly anyone?

Eat something colourful.

And I don’t mean Quality Street. Do you find yourself constantly eating beige foods at Christmas? Potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, crisps, nuts, Bombay mix? While delicious, these foods can be high in salt, high in calories and can leave us feeling sluggish and bloated. Balance it out by making sure you are eating plenty of colourful fruit and veg.

Make plans with friends. 

You’re not the only one bored at home, so make arrangements with friends to get yourselves out and about.

Donate the food you don’t need… and that’s most of it. 

Remember all that snack food that you bought? If you find that you struggle with willpower and are likely to eat it all just to get it out of the way, STOP! Donate to your local foodbank, do something that will help others, and will also benefit you.