Tips on keeping the weight off at Christmas

This time of year is difficult for anyone who wants to lose weight, because the celebrations at Christmas time lead to a higher calorie intake, which can lead to cravings and a loss of control for many people.

To help you avoid putting on extra pounds over the festive season, we are going to give you some simple tips on how to survive Christmas, enjoy it and make the most of it.

Tips on keeping the weight off at Christmas

• Follow the 80/20 rule, i.e. only overindulge on specific days, e.g. Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve dinner, lunch on New Year’s Day and the Epiphany. So, out of all the meals you will have during December (and part of January), there are only five meals where you can relax and stop worrying about the food.

• Eat healthily for the rest of the month, this will help you to relax and enjoy your time with family and friends more.

• Get cooking and prepare nutritious and healthy snacks and dishes like hummus, tuna tartar, courgette chips, salmon en papillote or beef tenderloin with vegetables as a side dish.

• Limit your intake of sweet Christmas treats. It is best to prepare healthy sweet treats such as cakes, tarts, biscuits, etc., by replacing the sugar with fruit, like bananas or apples, and spices like cinnamon.

• Have 5 meals a day. Don’t stop eating to make up for the meal afterwards, as this will lead to cravings and then you will eat more than your body needs.

• Chew each mouthful properly to control the feeling of fullness in your stomach and avoid eating more than you need.

• Drink water. Drinking at least 2 litres of water a day is essential to stay well hydrated, but drinking a glass of water before each meal will also help you feel more sated and prevent overeating and cravings.

• Lower the amount of alcohol and fizzy drinks you consume, as these provide lots of empty calories and you barely notice that you are overindulging.

• Prepare flavoured drinks like water with lemon, or water with strawberries and pomegranate, which will help to quench your thirst, refresh you and maintain your diet.

• Exercise at this time of year. Set aside half an hour every day to exercise. Whether this means going for a stroll, going out for a run, or doing exercises at home, e.g. Tabata training.

• Enjoy yourself! Keep an eye on what you eat and drink but don’t forget to enjoy yourself, this is a special time of year.