Can You Really Lose Weight During The Festive Season? - Tara Hammett

Can You Really Lose Weight During The Festive Season?

Can you really lose weigh during the festive season

We are now in December (how quick has this year gone!) and Christmas is just around the corner, which means chocolate, alcohol, and lots of turkey & stuffing leftovers, but is it possible to stay on track of our fitness goals and prevent sabotaging our weight loss efforts during this festive season?

Life’s Too Short to Feel Guilty

Many of the ladies I work with worry about this time of the year because they know they will give into temptations. Unfortunately, feeling guilty about eating and drinking is something so many of us do at Christmas time, but this isn’t a healthy relationship to have with weight loss. After all, Christmas is a time of happiness, celebration, and family time, all in which goes hand in hand with food and drink.

I have some top tips to see you through the festive season without worrying too much about what you eat and drink, allowing you to have fun and enjoy yourself.

How to Prevent Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts

1. Plan

Create a plan for each day over the holiday period and make yourself accountable. If you lay out exactly what tasks you need to do to stay on track of your weight loss goals, you are less likely to choose the sofa and chocolate over a workout and a healthy meal. This doesn’t mean you can’t cut down on the amount of workouts you do over Christmas, just make sure you don’t fall off-track completely. 

2. Sleep

Sleep is important! Get a good amount of it, a minimum of 7 and a half hours a night will keep you fit & fresh for the day ahead. Check out ‘How to Prevent Tiredness From Undoing Your Weight Loss Efforts’ to help ensure you get the best quality sleep over Christmas. 

3. Drink Plenty of Water

Its easy to forget to drink water, especially during Christmas time time and alcohol is everywhere. It is important to be aware of dehydration as this can have a huge effect on weight loss. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and for any party nights I would recommend drinking a glass of water in-between alcoholic drinks.

4. Nutritious Food

Eat nutritious food, but also allow yourself to indulge in the foods you love. You can add your meals to your festive season plan to make sure you keep a healthy balance of nutritious foods with your festive treats.

5. Calorie Saving

By saving some calories each day, you can eat or drink a few more on your party days without sabotaging your weight loss that week.

If you have a Christmas party or know when will be socially eating and drinking, I would suggest working out on that day if you can (that is one of my #1 rules for myself, just in case I end up going overboard which is highly likely with me). It doesn’t have to be long. If you can make it to the gym that’s fab, however a quick 12 minute home workout will be just as good.

This help you burn off some extra calories to make way for more later in the day. If you have a few too many drinks (we’ve all been there) and you’re hungover the next day, unable to move from the sofa, at least you will have worked out the day before.

6. Keep an Eye on High Calorie Drinks

A party can be a cocktail of calories which can sabotage your weight loss efforts.

If you make your way through a 3 course meal as well as plenty of drinks, that’s a lot of calories you’ll be taking in. Enjoy your food, but stop once you’ve had enough – leave some room for your dress and your dancing.

When it comes to drinking alcohol, it’s not just the liquid calories you’re going to be consuming, it’s the munchies effect that goes with it. There’s nothing better than curry & chips with naan bread, or a pizza when you’ve been drinking (oops), it’s hard to resist at this point because drunk you always thinks “it’s gonna be okaaaaaaaay”. Even if you do manage to resist the takeaway at the end of the night, the hangover will get you the next day, and the only way to get through it will likely be a never ending fix of carbs and sugar.

So this is where you need to be mindful with your alcohol. It’s not just the actual drinks, it’s everything that comes with it. When you’re out, drink plenty of water between drinks and be sensible with the amount you take in.

7. Low Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

Choose low calorie drinks over high calorie ones. Gin and tonics or vodka and soda’s are a much better choice instead of wine or cocktails for losing weight. 

These tips may give you a light bulb moment, but if everything completely fails, you’ve just got to nail the next day. There are plenty of things you can do when it comes to your parties and celebrating that do come up. The main thing aside of all this is to make sure you enjoy them without guilt. Life is about the good times and having fab memories. Don’t spoil them with guilt from enjoying too much.

Don’t Turn One Night Into A Whole Month

Nothing comes easily and we’ve all got to work and put effort into our weight loss and fitness goals. A healthy lifestyle has lots of holidays and parties in. Enjoy them, feel great at them and make sure you get back onto your healthy habits straight after. Don’t turn one night or weekend into a month!

  • December 4, 2019