7 Ways to Have a Healthier Christmas
Christmas is a well-known time to indulge, but don’t let this be the time of year where you overindulge! You can still enjoy all the festivities of the season and get through the Christmas period without too great of a negative impact on your health, or waistline.
Check out our 7 tips for a healthier Christmas:
- Have a small meal before going out to parties. Arriving at a Christmas party hungry is a huge mistake. When you’re hungry, you’ll end up overindulging without thinking. Instead, have a healthy bite before you leave your house. That way when you get to the party you can try a small sample or two, without feeling the need to fill your belly.
- Avoid stocking your pantry with junk. While there are endless Christmas goodies to be found in the grocery stores this time of year, avoid bringing them home with you. When they’re at your house, you’ll eat/drink them without second thought. Instead, wait for them to show up at work, or at parties (at other people’s houses).
- Bring your own healthy dish. If you’re unsure whether or not there will be any healthy options at a party or family gathering, be sure to bring your own dish with you. Not only will you impress the host, but you’ll also ensure that you have a healthy alternative to snack on while you’re there.
- Watch what you drink. Along with overeating, Christmas makes it way too easy to imbibe a bit too much. A small serving of wine, beer or spirits is fine, but don’t start downing the booze simply because it’s free. If you can’t stand not having something to sip on at a party, try adding a glass or two of water or punch between your drinks.
- Distance yourself from the food table. Standing near the food table is an all but guaranteed way to snack all night long. Instead, walk around the party and chat with everything. The further you get from the food, the less likely you’ll pick at it throughout the evening.
- Eat smaller portions. If you want to sample a little bit of everything, don’t feel obligated to take the entire serving. Cut it in half (odds are someone else will happily take the other half) of sugary/high-calorie foods.
- Commit to the next day’s workout. After a big night out, commit to working out the next day. That way you’ll ensure that you get up and burn off some of those calories you took in the night before. Make this a hard and fast commit before you go to the party, that way you’ll be more likely to hold yourself to it the next day.
With a little bit of planning a few better choices, you can have a fun-filled holiday without any guilt.