Something most of us can agree on is that one of the best things about Christmas is the food! Pigs in blankets, biscuits, desserts, and chocolate for breakfast – what’s not to love?! It can be easy to get caught up in the festivities and forget all about your fitness and nutritional goals. If you want to enjoy food this Christmas but not completely throw all of your will power out of the window, take a quick look at the following ideas we’ve put together to try and help.
Swap till you drop
There’s a healthier alternative for pretty much everything you can think of. It can be as simple as swapping out a few items in the recipe or using fry light instead of cooking oil. If you’re no Jamie Oliver, you can always use a reputable website to get some inspiration for some heathier alternatives. We love the recipe ideas from BBC Good Food.
Try meat free days
If you want to go one step further, you could even opt for vegetarian dishes as these tend to be higher in nutritional value and contain more of your 5 a day. With vegetarian and veganism becoming more and more popular there are tons of options out there and you might be surprised at how much you enjoy them!
Veg, veg, and more veg!
As well as the mouthwatering sweet treats, Christmas also knows how to do veg. Sprouts, parsnips, broccoli, cabbage, the list is endless! Filling your plate with greens and goodness will leave you feeling full and satisfied without having to overindulge if you don’t want to. Using spices to give lots of flavour to vegetable dishes will ensure even the sprout dodgers enjoy them.
All in moderation
Being mindful about what you eat doesn’t mean cutting out carbs or sweet treats. You can still allow yourself the foods you love to eat, but instead find a balance where these foods take a backseat to more nutritional meals and snacks. Find the right balance that works for you and then make it part of your routine.
Just relax!
The most important tip we can give you today is to just relax and enjoy the festive season without putting too much pressure on yourself to ‘be good’. If you’re happy to continue being mindful about what foods you are fueling your body with over Christmas, then that’s amazing! But if you’d rather forget it all and wait till the new year to get back on track, that’s also fine.
We wish all of our members and customers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Have fun celebrating with your loved ones and we will be here to help you with your new goals in 2022.