We are about to hit the Christmas season, and with it comes parties and drinks and well, get togethers and celebrations. What I want to show you today though is that you can successfully navigate this time of year without falling right off the wagon or completely derailing all of your efforts from the year.
The title is misleading I know, you don’t need a survival guide like this period is an episode of Survivor haha, but hey, it is a catchy headline to get you to read away, and it is better than anything the Telegraph dishes up!
There are always little bits of info out there for you to follow to “survive Christmas and New Year” and to “Save you from the Christmas feast trap”. I am here to let you know this time of year isn’t as sinister as you might think, to me it is all about planning and perspective!
You can plan ahead of anything really, and the best laid plans can come unstuck. It is only really a major issue if you view it that way and if you allow it to derail you. We only really have control over one thing in our lives and that one thing is our actions. So with that in mind let’s get stuck in
So you have all sorts of social engagements between now and the 2nd January 2018, they will usually involve heaps of food and drink and you are thinking you either will go off course or not be able to start a program or plan. Now the first thing I would suggest is seeing these events/days as no different to any other. We have people here at CrossFit Armidale that no longer view the weekend as anything different. So if your work function happens to be on a Thursday night then they just enjoy the evening and then go home and for breakfast Friday have what they had planned in the first place.
It isn’t the functions that is the problem that we see, it is when we allow those functions to dictate our actions and let the all or nothing mindset creep in. One night of a few libations and some delicious food cooked up by someone else will not undo all of your work. If you allow it to turn into a whole month is when it can become a health issue.
So that is the mindset, approach it like it is a one off and relax and enjoy your evening. Now for the plan.
If you aren’t already try planning your week out, meal wise. Now I have seen some of our members where this comes easily for them, others find it a battle, and that is OK. It is just something that will take practice. Plan out whole food meals for your week, loads of colourful vegies, some high energy carbs around activities, good protein sources and some fats. The real key here is loads of colourful vegies, they will help with ample vitamins and minerals, fibre, and low caloric carbs, helping you feel fuller longer. Now when the celebration is on, relax, enjoy. Now to minimise the harm if you like I have seen people have a snack of a smoothie or some vegies and a small amount of protein so they don’t over eat come dinner time. Worth a try if you are that person that just seems to eat a bit too much at parties etc.
Try having a glass of water with you at all times and have sips of it while you are enjoying a few alcoholic drinks. If nothing else it will help to keep you hydrated through the evening, which is only a good thing.
And one final point, screw what other people think and say! You might hear the words, ‘c’mon it’s Christmas, you can have another drink’ or ‘you shouldn’t be dieting at this time of year’ you know what? That is their insecurities as they are feeling they should be taking better care of themselves. Don’t worry about them. They will in time realise they need o make their health a priority, for you though it is now. Let them know you don’t need another drink, you are more than happy, but they should feel free to if they like. Or, yes it might be Christmas, but I am not on a diet, I am just eating normal for me, that may not seem normal for you, but you know what? That is AOK, as none of us are the same and I can enjoy your company regardless of what we are eating together.
So to sum it up, plan what you want to achieve this Christmas period, keep planning your nutrition each week, enjoy a little leeway when it comes to functions and most importantly remember that your health is your priority, not anyone else’s, so let them say what they want and just worry about what you want and keep going after it, as long as what you are doing isn’t hurting anyone else, it shouldn’t worry them in the slightest and you can go on being the healthiest you that you can be.