Beat The Holiday Bloat
The holidays are here and it really is the season to be merry. It’s also the season of over-indulgence, endless festive-fun, and a never-ending supply of festive carbs. Seriously, they’re everywhere you turn, and you really can’t escape them. From festive cake to doughnuts, sweets, pastry’s or crisps, there’s always a reason to celebrate and the carbs are always there, waiting for us, tempting us with their deliciousness. So it’s perfectly normal to gain a little weight in the winter and you can definitely enjoy the occasional delicious treat. However, if you want to beat the holiday bloat this season, then follow these healthy hacks to help you make it through to January.
Stay Active
One way to ensure you don’t fall into the holiday trap of overloading on carbs and then feeling the bloat, is to try to stay active. Whether you’ve enjoyed a few too many festive treats at the office party, over-indulged at a family dinner or curled up with carbs on the sofa with family and friends, then try to balance it out. You could fit in some walking, cycling, gym or dancing into your day. You could even persuade your family or friends to come with you on a winter walk or try a home work out together. We promise you it’s more fun this way, and can enjoy some guilty pleasures without all the guilt.
Smart Snacking
In the holidays it’s almost impossible to escape the unhealthy treats. Whether you’re at work or a dinner party, they somehow end up next to you and it would be rude not to take them. But wait, hold that thought for a second. One tip is to bring with your own healthy snacks in case you get hungry, like nuts, seeds or fruit. Then if you feel tempted, then you can opt for the healthy option instead. If that fails then you can switch to plan B, which is that you can take one doughnut instead of two, or try half the doughnut, which means half the calories. If you fail this part and you just can’t stop indulging in their deliciousness, then you’ll have to default to Plan C and make sure you go for a long walk the next day.
Watch Your Portion Sizes
While you try your best to be a smart snacker, you can also try to control your portion sizes this season. We know at a holiday dinner there will probably be an overwhelming amount of dishes. And each one looks more mouthwatering than the next. If it’s anything like our family dinner, there’s probably more food on the table than you’ve eaten all week. And we know, you want to try everything. We feel your pain. So in this situation, you can try as many as you can, just make sure you put a smaller portion of each dish on your plate. Eat a little slower to ensure you digest your food properly before going back for the next round. However, if all else fails, you’ll have to go back to trusty Plan C and make sure your walk is even longer the day after!
Good luck!
