Eating Healthy Over Your Christmas Break
Dieting is really not an easy thing to do, but once you begin the lifestyle change, it becomes easier to live within its dictates. The holidays are easily the toughest time for any person on a diet, as all the work done throughout the year toward your improved body can be quickly undone. Rather than focus on what you cannot consume, we will share with you what you can, so it will be much less daunting and easier to stick with.
You already know what to avoid and why; our goal is to draw your attention to healthy alternatives to keep you on track rather than dangle the carrot of all the other stuff you can’t have. Those in the know say that bodies are made in the kitchen, and the Coles Catalogue has you covered for healthy ingredients in line with your diet. For example, they have salmon at $20, a price that’s locked in until January 31, 2023. That’s enough time for you to purchase it even after the holidays and it’s a healthy alternative that won’t leave you stuck continuously eating chicken or turkey. Macadamia nuts are also price-locked at $15/pack providing a healthy snack option for you.
Let’s get into the ways in which you can keep the weight off during the holidays.
1. Remember why you’re doing it in the first place
Whether it’s for health or fitness reasons, one way that will surely help you stay on track will be to remember why you’re doing it in the first place. The holidays, while an exciting time of year, must not deter you from whatever your goals are. Try to stick to your diet, keeping in mind the condition you’re in and how being on it is making you feel.
The holiday period requires a lot of mental strength to make it through because of the very great temptation to just let go, but do your best to stay on track. If you fall off a bit, don’t berate yourself – do your best to get back on track and keep it moving.
2. Try to stick to your regular routine
While there is a tendency to relax over the holidays, try your best to stick to the regular routine that has helped you on your fitness or health journey. For example, if you run every morning, try to do that even during the holidays if the environment allows it.
Try your best to keep to your routine as well as you can within the confines of your holiday space. Moreso, if you are in a space that is not your own or away on holiday. If you are headed to a Queensland resort, for example, or a different city, try to book a place that has an in-house gym.
3. Control your portions
Let’s be honest: Holiday food is often tempting because everyone goes all out to make it delicious. And it may be exactly what you’re not supposed to be eating. If you decide to indulge, make sure that your portions are not too big. Manage your calorie intake so that even if you do gain a little weight, it does not discourage you from still working out or otherwise picking up your diet again. It’s all about balance—don’t do too much, but don’t deprive yourself either if you decide to indulge.
4. Research delicious alternative recipes
If you know what’s going to be on the holiday menu ahead of time, research alternatives that are just as delicious but not as heavy on your diet, so that all the work you’ve done is not undone. For example, instead of white rice, you could have a delicious quinoa meal that is equally delicious but tons more healthy, leaving you fuller for longer. Healthy food does not have to be boring, and with so many healthier options for holiday food, you needn’t torture yourself by eating raw carrots for the duration of the holiday.
5. Celebrate your diet wins
Oftentimes, we get so caught up in what we should or shouldn’t do with our diets on the holidays that we fail to recognize when we do well by ourselves. Diets are especially hard during the holidays, a time when food is what brings us together, some of which aren’t the best for us. You’ve worked so hard to get where you are, and you’re sticking with it despite that—that’s no small feat, and it’s certainly worth celebrating!
