Christmas Food Anxiety?

More social events mean you’re less in charge of what you’re eating or drinking. The nature of Christmas meaning you’re much less active than usual. Going to bed later, and generally not being in much of a routine – it all adds up to more weight on the scales, as well as rubbish energy levels, a struggling digestive system and being in a less-than-chirpy mood!

I have some tips for you, to help you start the New Year in a good place, ready to continue on your health and fitness journey.

Don’t green light everything!
You don’t have to be totally on track OR totally off track. It’s absolutely fine to be somewhere in the middle.
What you do SOMETIMES doesn’t matter – it’s what you do MOST of the time which is important.
So; don’t live on cheese and chocolate for the next two weeks, and equally, don’t avoid any food based pleasure!

Remember the basics!
You need at the very least, 1.5g protein per kg of your bodyweight, every day.
You need at least 1.5 litres of water, every day
You need about 30g fibre, every day
Keep these big rocks in place, and you’ll find you have fewer cravings, better energy and a happier digestion while still leaving space for a few mince pies here and there!

Get moving!
The lack of movement associated with Christmas can affect your digestion and energy a lot. So, make a plan for how you can move more.
How can you increase your step count?
What ways can you think of to generally move a bit more than might come naturally?
Will you do some workouts over the holidays?

Focus on some routine!
Get some daylight in the morning. Don’t stare at your phone screen right up until you want to go to sleep. Try to get to bed at the same sort of time as much as you can over the holidays. Try to wake up at around the same time too. This will help you avoid creating a bit of jet lag, and help you to feel more energised when we head into the New Year!

Christmas is a time of celebration and a time to be with friends and family. Keep these points in mind, and let the anxiety go – enjoy the celebrations!