9 clear ways NOT to gain weight during Christmas holidays
Ho, ho, ho! & it’s Christmas time again & like every other festive season, this also heralds a gala time over food as well. RIGHT? And amidst all the excitement, you & I are wondering how not to gain weight during Christmas. Honestly, aren’t we?
Lustrous star lights, candy canes, carols, the fragrant rose cookies & sugar-laden dumplings permeating the air. The winter is, undoubtedly, a hit about Christmas no matter which part of the world you’re in.
And so is our frenemy – Overindulgence!
Well, I’m only talking about food here.
‘Coz overindulgence of any other kind only makes you memories to live by until the next Christmas. Or for a lifetime!
While that is true, overdose of festive food can send you into a delirious state of health. With a guilt-ridden, sulking conscience flipping hopelessly over elusive new year resolutions to put off for the next year.
Though every festival around the world is marked with delectably enterprising food, Christmas celebrations go on up to the the new year, thus giving you the choice to spill binge-fest over to infinity or to EAT MINDFULLY (but, with ZERO DEPRIVATION).
Often undoing all the overeating & drinking often turn into silly affirmations later on.
The stocked up food never seems to finish.
And eventually, you bank only upon resolutions of planning the ‘healthiest’ Christmas the next year.
Well, if that’s YOU before every year ends, here’s a powerful list of 8 ways to NOT gain weight during Christmas holidays. EVER! 🙂
1. Deck up your Christmas home yourself
Get as much into decorating the place yourself rather than buying ready made stuff, be it a Christmas crib or tree, or both. Festivity scenes resplendent with DIY decorations, which revolve less around the eating escapades bring people more closer.
And that keeps you ACTIVE & MOVING! 🙂
The fun element about admiring one’s crafty work beats any urge to do some unnecessary TASTE-TESTING as well.
A MASSIVE & much need DISTRACTION. Isn’t it?
2. WORKOUT Mode: ON
I’m never going to tell anyone to ditch any fun around Christmas.
Oh, who am I to even say something remotely close to that?! 🙁
Make sure you WORKOUT. At least for 15 minutes.
If you’ve been on a weight loss mission or working out for a toned physique the entire year (since your new year resolution, maybe! *wink*), this time of the year should be a maintenance mode.
Don’t miss out on exercise JUST BECAUSE you’re at home.
Your target now should be AT LEAST how NOT to gain weight during the Christmas holidays; forget about letting it just go!
3. Wholesome breakfasts
We all know that breakfast is the jumbo meal of the day.
Start the day with a meal filled with cereals & if possible, boiled eggs.
Eggs specially in the boiled form over the scrambled version keep you satiated & full for the rest of the day, which stamps out your chances of devouring your other meals like tomorrow would never happen! In fact, eggs are always a healthy breakfast option rich in proteins required to curb unnatural hunger & remain activated throughout the day.
Lean meat, lentils, whole eggs or egg whites with salad vegetables, nuts & fiber-rich foods are the perfect choices to include into your breakfast.
Chicken sandwiches made with whole wheat bread & minimal mayonnaise, whole wheat pancakes drizzled with honey etc make a great choice too.
4. Hydrate well
Weight issues, be they about shedding kilos or maintaining a steady one, have a lot to do with water intake.
A puffy face, swollen eyelids & some of that extra weight on the scale are nothing but a result of water retention.
When we don’t have enough water to offer ourselves, our body tries to retain water in areas that we wished were never meant to be. Hence, drink plenty of water throughout the day. This will help flush toxins & prevent any fat accumulation.
5. Snack Up – NOT to gain weight during Christmas!
Try having a whole fruit before you head for a party.
This will give you enough chance to rev up your metabolism, which may otherwise fall prey to a splurge mode.
Going to a party on a totally empty stomach is an invite to overeating & an obvious bloat session.
Avoid creamy, high fat dips & sugary drinks that are high on sodium & empty calories. Enjoy the chicken or turkey, which is again a rich source of lean proteins to get you full instead of the creamy cakes, pretzels & calorie-heavy sausages.
6. ‘Thou shall be responsible’- NOT to gain weight during Christmas holidays
Oops! Did I just sound like the surrogate ads that cram your TV as the evening sets in, but never say the word?
Well, wine & beer are all over the flavor of Christmas holidays. Nevertheless, try to stay responsible.
Have no more than 1 or 2 servings of a drink at an occasion. Finish a glass before topping it up. That way you’d know how much you’ve been drinking.
Because, hangovers are not just stupid but extra booze certainly adds piles to your body.
7. Dance the night away
What makes you happier than a waltz or even some freestyle dancing with loved ones over the Christmas eve?
Dancing boosts metabolism, relaxes the mind & sends you into a euphoria; something that even a drink may fail to do.
8. Catch sleep!
Never try to stay up late unnecessarily. Specially to upload your pictures on Instagram or Facebook. Because the social media loop never ends! It’s a rabbit hole. 😐
9. Share your joy
This festive season, don’t hold back. Don’t STOCK UP your fridge or the kitchen cabinets. Share the sweets, or even the left overs with the less privileged.
Blessings & gratitude are priceless. But guilt is not.
Mulling over what you shouldn’t have stocked up or wasted is only makes you sulk until the next year.
So, raise a toast to a guilt-free beginning to this new year! Make resolutions a passé this new year.
Bon Appétit!
Here’s me wishing you a Merry Christmas in advance!
Do let us know about your favorite Christmas delicacies in the comments. I’m listening! 🙂
Oh I loved the points you made. They hold for all festive seasons when keeping up a fitness routine becomes so very tough. We fall into the ‘I’m on a holiday’ trap and that messes up all our plans.
You’re right, Tulika. Hence, it’s all about how sane we stay during these special festivities. Because, right after the holidays, we’d be back to our strangulating routine which leaves very little time for us to make up for the damage.
And by staying sane, I mean always caring about the best of our health, no matter what the occasion.
This post comes at the right time when Christmas and New Year celebrations are going to make me feast on food. But you are so right about sharing the joy. Wish we could sensibly use the excess to feed those hungry mouths.
Thanks, Sonia. And yeah, we still can. While I always press over wasting no food, I do take the leftover extra food (not from the plates) to the laborers near my house in disposable containers. A staunch opposer of plastic, but an advocate of reusability, these plastic containers come handy for me & that’s why I collect them.
Oh yes, I have a bad habit of overindulging during Christmas, specially all the Christmas desserts that is so readily available in supermarket. This is a great reminder to not get too much lost in the festivities.
Christmas and Desserts! Need I say more? But you have some good points up there!