What’s your favourite seasonal food? For me, it has to be my mum’s homemade baking. She sends us Stollen, Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and Christmas cookies each year.
Advent is such an important part of a German Christmas. It’s easy for the celebrations to drag on from the end of November to the beginning of January. That’s a lot of Stollen…
Do you find that Christmas can turn into a 4 to 6 week-long feast?
Yes, it’s okay to have a little healthy habit break. But I still want to feel good about myself and full of energy throughout the holidays.
I have some super simple ways to do that, and I’m going to share them with you so you can stay healthy over Christmas, too.
- Start the day right犀利士 g>
Start the day with a healthy breakfast. Have plenty of protein and some veggies, too. Eggs, tomatoes and avocado are a great combination. Or why not have a big tray of roasted vegetables in the fridge to have with your scrambled egg in the mornings?
- Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water every day. You are less likely to reach for unintended snacks if you are well hydrated. Be particularly mindful about your water intake if you are planning to drink alcohol. Having a glass of water after each alcoholic beverage means you are going to drink less and feel better the next day.
- Get outside
Stay active and get outside. Commit to some daily activity. It doesn’t have to be big. A walk, a jog or a boot camp in the fresh air will lift the mood and help you stay in the right mindset.
- Fill your plate with vegetables
Are you worried about overeating at mealtimes? Fill half your plate with vegetables. The other half can’t be that bad!
- Prioritise sleep
Not getting enough sleep messes with our hunger and satiety hormones. After a bad night’s sleep, we tend to overeat. Plus we are more likely to reach for sugary snacks.
- Get some downtime
Christmas can be stressful. Particularly if you are doing all the preparations and the cooking. Try and schedule some downtime. A walk by yourself in the fresh air or even just consciously sitting down with a cup of tea and no distractions can work wonders.
- Stop the black and white thinking
Enjoying lovely food with family at Christmas time is nothing to feel bad about. And yes, you might overeat now and then. Most of us do. It’s okay. It’s not what’s stopping you from reaching your goals. Just get back to healthier eating with the next meal. Not on Monday, next week, or in January.
If you catch yourself feeling guilty or feeling like you’ve blown it: Stop the black and white thinking. Healthy eating is not all or nothing. It’s somewhere in between. That happy medium where you can enjoy your Christmas dinner and get up the next morning to eat a yummy healthy breakfast. And feel good about it.
Have a wonderful, happy, healthy and yummy Christmas!
Julia
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