How to eat healthy this Christmas?

Christmas is a time of year to enjoy yourself, and everyone is allowed to indulge a little, but make sure you don't fall into the mindset of just binging for a whole week. A few treats are fine, but keep up your overall healthy eating and fitness regime and you'll be much happier and healthier come the new year [1]!
There are lots of handy trips we can all do to make sure that we are sensible; yet have a good balance between a naughty snack and a healthy meal. Below are a list of tips which are helpful but by no means a complete list:

• Eat lots of protein: If you’re a fan of meat, you should have no problem eating a variety of meats this festive season. Turkey, Chicken, Beef and Goose and Gammon are all popular choices. Just make sure your choice of meat is not deep fried, but grilled, steamed or oven cooked to get the most benefits from the protein. Protein keeps you fuller for longer as the amino acids in the protein take longer to break down by your stomach, therefore keeping you satiated.

 

• Don’t forget the vegetables: Roasted carrots, sweet potato, broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and parsnips are all great choices. These traditional seasonal vegetables are packed in nutrients and antioxidants that will help your immune system, especially if you’re in a winter climate and are lacking in natural vitamin D. If you really want, do enjoy a few roast potatoes, but be sensible with your portions of white carbohydrates.

 

• Meal strategy!: Eat more of your starters if they are healthy, a moderate amount of your mains and very little of your desserts. If your starter is a healthy bone broth, rather than a cream based soup, do finish that as it’ll pack your stomach full of good nutrients and will fill you up quicker. Try and stick to sharing platters of veggies and fruits with some cold meats, as you’re less likely to indulge in good company [2]!

 

• Don’t go hungry when shopping for food or presents: We make terrible food choices when we’re hungry and need a quick fix. If you are braving the malls this Christmas for presents, do go for a healthy breakfast or lunch before you start. You’ll thank yourself as shopping can be stressful for most people this time of year, which leads to poorer food choices and a leads to a cycle that is hard to break [2].

 

• Eat before going to a party: Before going out, have a healthy snack to curb your appetite. Research has shown that when faced with a variety of foods with different tastes, textures, smells, shapes, and colours, people eat more, regardless of their true hunger level. Cutting down on your personal smorgasbord can decrease what you end up eating by 20 to 40 percent [2].

 

• Don’t give yourself a Christmas stuffing: Recent research suggests that we consume around 3,000 calories in our Christmas dinner – more than the entire recommended daily intake for a grown man! This huge feast not only contributes to weight gain but also to indigestion and heartburn, not to mention lethargy for the rest of the day, reducing the chances of you burning much of it off. Instead of gorging yourself on Christmas dinner, eat a normal-sized meal and then take a 20-minute break to see if you are still hungry (it takes this long for the brain to register that the stomach is full). The chances are, you’ll realise you’ve had enough [3].

 

• Avoid those winter colds: Colds are rife at Christmas, partly because many of us travel around the country, exposing ourselves – and others – to different cold viruses. Minimise your risks by maintaining a healthy immune system (eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep and not smoking will help), so you are more able to fight off any viruses [3].

 

• Do something for others: It’s hard to avoid the consumerism that has overtaken Christmas in the western world, but it doesn’t all have to be about giving or receiving gifts. Try to do something for others this festive season, whether it’s baking some extra mince pies for an elderly neighbour, inviting an acquaintance who doesn’t have family around them to your home or helping out with a local Christmas fete or carol service.

 

• Be a careful cook: If your Christmas duties include cooking the dinner, you won’t be delighted to hear that according to the Food Standards Agency, December is one of the most common months for people to get food poisoning. To minimise the risks, don’t leave food out all day. Put out small amounts at a time, so that what is on the table has just been cooked or just come out of the fridge. Ideally, try to use any leftovers within 48 hours or freeze them. As for the turkey, always defrost it in the fridge, allowing 10 to 12 hours per kilo and do not wash the bird, as this can spread bacteria around, which will be destroyed by cooking anyway [3].

 

• The A word: Alcohol is also a large contributor to weight gain during Christmas. In fact, some research done only a few years ago stated that the average person can consume up to 18 units of alcohol on Christmas day alone [4]! That is a staggering amount of empty calories and sugar. Also avoid as many beer, lager and ciders as they are full of calories [5]. Wine and white spirits would be the best choice as they are lower in calories and higher in alcohol content, so you need less of the content to get merry.

So you can see there is lots that can be done. What is important is to have fun, enjoy the parties, but make sensible food choices. The discipline and self-motivation to eat sensibly you show now, will serve you better come January when the majority of peoples resolutions are to hit the gym and lost those excess pounds, you can start the new year with other priorities and not have to worry about the weight loss and shopping for a larger pair of bottoms!
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If you feel you could benefit from a consultation on eating habits require general guidance on nutritional support and how to live a balanced lifestyle please contact me at habs@urbanplatehealth.com or visit my website by going to www.urbanplatehealth.com
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References:

1. Eating Healthy This Christmas - The Do’s and Don'ts -  https://www.expertrain.com/blog/health/how-to-eat-healthily-this-christmas.htm
2. 9 Healthy Holiday-Eating Strategies - https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-eating/eat-healthy-during-holidays
3. 10 ways to have a healthier Christmas - https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/festive-health-fitness/article/10-ways-to-a-healthier-christmas/
4. Alcohol units consumed during Christmas - https://aquarius.org.uk/christmas-units/
5. Enjoy Christmas Drinks without Piling on the Pounds - https://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/food/christmas/christmas_drinks.htm

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