By Gemma Delaney

The holiday season is much anticipated for the delightful gatherings of friends and families that it brings, featuring festive cocktails and feasts of the season’s comfort foods. It’s those glorious, gravy-covered dinners and the seemingly endless stream of treats that are integral to our holiday celebrations.

However, if you’re determined to maintain your wellness goals throughout the festive season, managing consumption can be quite a challenge. Not to worry; you can fully partake in the jolly feasts whilst keeping your health in check. Let’s discover how to make informed choices to enjoy the holidays without compromising your fitness journey.

Avoiding Overindulgence: Have a Merry, Healthy Christmas

Our health experts provide incredible tips on how to make wholesome choices and keep overindulgence at bay during Christmas.

1. Kick-off a Pre-Holiday Detox

Fitness enthusiast Claire Barnes advises on beginning a minor detox before your holiday season commences, helping alleviate the effects of overindulgence. A simple way to do this is by cutting out processed foods, consuming a plethora of colorful veggies for diverse phytonutrients and boosting fibre and water intake.

2. Smart Snacking Throughout December

Kim Bowman, a revered nutritionist, emphasizes that holiday buffets pose a temptation, increasing the likelihood of overeating. To counter this, Bowman suggests healthy snacking throughout the day, ideally protein-rich snacks that promote satiety and help maintain blood sugar levels.

3. Choose Your Beverages Wisely

Often, we overlook the calorie content in alcoholic beverages. Nutritionist Dr. Carrie Ruxton points out that even cocktails can inflate your calorie intake. Stick to beverages that are lighter and still satisfying

4. Menu Pre-planning

Respected naturopath Leyla Moudden suggests researching a restaurant’s menu online before attending a party to make healthier meal choices. This method avoids awkward on-the-spot decision-making and allows you to enjoy your meal without straying far from your diet goals.

5. Practice Portion Control on Sweets

It’s hard to resist the allure of holiday desserts. However, Dr. Ruxton proposes picking smaller portions or healthier alternatives to common sweetmeats, reducing calorie intake whilst satisfying your sweet tooth.

Lastly, we leave you with some simple food swaps to cut calories this holiday season:

• Swap a mince pie with five roasted chestnuts to save 200 calories.
• Choose lemon sorbet over Christmas pudding and save 230 calories.
• Three asparagus spears in Parma ham can take the place of traditional pigs in blankets to save 115 calories.

Remember, the goal here is to stay healthy, not deprived! Enjoy your holidays, everyone.

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