Christmas is meant to be a fun time, you should be able to let your hair down a little and have fun, have a few drinks, eat different foods etc and just in general have a good time.
Although I think we should be able to have fun in everyday life too. A life where we just go to work, look after the kids and get in a cycle of doing things week in week out also needs to be abundant in things we enjoy to be balanced in my opinion.
Over Christmas and in everyday life its very important to still look after ourselves and find the balance between having fun and being healthy.
There is definitely a difference between having heaps of fun and forgetting about health all together vs having heaps of fun and being mindful that you make decisions that still keep you feeling and looking like your best self.
Firstly its worth getting clear on what your definition of “fun” is… Because I know myself that when I open a present and I got a box of chocolates, in the heat of the moment its “fun” to eat half the box there and then. It isn’t fun when I’m feeling sick and low on energy shortly after.
Its “fun” having multiple serves of breakfast, lunch and dinner plus dessert even when I’m super full, its not fun ending up in a food coma on the couch afterwards.
Its “fun” lazing around for a couple of weeks and not doing much or having to think much, but its not fun when your energy is really low, you’ve gained a few kgs and and you can’t be bothered doing anything because you feel like shit.
I love to have fun and feel awesome at the same time so here are my few tips for making this happen over the Christmas holidays:
Christmas for me is all about seeing family & friends and when I see them I want them to experience me as my best self. I know that when I look after myself I feel great and show up as my best, I connect way better with people and its a way more enjoyable experience for everyone.
A different perspective on fun is actually being / continuing to look after yourself during this time. Having fun, being social, having a drink, having good food, catching up with family and friends and enjoying the experience, but at the same time not going overboard and having habits that keep you feeling great at the same time.
When it comes to food the things I will be mindful of are:
Choosing to eat mainly whole nutritious foods (meat, fish, poultry, beans etc), natural grains, plus plenty of different types and colours of fruits and veggies. Still eating some chocolate and savouries but being mindful of how much, ill just have a little bite of a few that id like to try. Eating whole good quality foods are going to give you much better nutrients, fibre, vitamins, minerals etc and fill you up much more / keep you satiated.
Eating mindfully because I know when I eat well and don’t go overboard I feel awesome a few hours later. When I eat too much I end up on the coach in a food coma and feel like shit. Also in terms of minimising weight-gain the biggest thing is going to be controlling the amount of food we eat. Know your limits, know what kind of experience you want to have over this time and make decisions based on that.
Honouring my hunger… when I’m hungry I will eat, I won’t let myself get to the point of being starving because when I get there I’m much more likely to make bad decisions and over-eat. If your hungry then eat, make decisions aligned with how you want to look and feel, they will be much easier to make if your not starving.
Keeping my protein intake high - protein is going to be much more satiating that other nutrients which means not needing to eat as much to feel satisfied, plus protein will help you in maintaining muscle and minimising fat gain. Try to have a base of protein in every meal and then add other things into the meal to compliment.
When it comes to staying active:
For me training remains a priority over this time as its a cornerstone habit and when I train I tend to do most other things well as a consequence of that. I really enjoy training and how I feel when I’m active. When I feel good I have a better day to day experience and this again ties back into how I want to experience Christmas time with family and friends.
Something is better than nothing - if you can’t get to the gym then do a workout at home, go for a walk, play cricket in the backyard with the kids at lunch time, go for a walk at the beach or in the park with the family after lunch, move your body, stand up instead of sitting down, take the stairs. There are plenty of ways to be active. Know how being active makes you feel and then make the decision based how you really want to feel.
To Conclude:
Out of what I’ve explained above… think to yourself what are 1 or 2 things I can take and actually apply over Christmas and moving forwards to improve my day to day experience in life.
Reach out for a chat, would love to help you become the best & healthiest version of you 💪
Merry Christmas!
0428912060
yonah.duniam@gmail.com