How to have a healthy Christmas

by Seki Tijani from The Nutrition Coach

It's easy to use Christmas as an excuse to pig-out, not care about what you are eating and drinking, and promise yourself you'll start again with your New Year's resolutions. But a clinical nutritionist from the The Nutrition Coach reveals that having a healthy holiday season is easier than you think - and will leave you feeling better (and slimmer) in January

Christmas is a time, by all means, to have fun, enjoy friends and family, and get away from work. But why make getting into shape harder for yourself on 1 January? After all, will that extra helping of Chrismas pud or mince pie really make that much difference to your enjoyment? Here are some tips to help you live sensibly this holiday season. No rules, no promises, just good practices.

Three important things to remember

  1. Learn to recognise and acknowledge your true hunger and appetite. Don't automatically accept seconds and if you know you have eaten plenty, stop.
  2. While Christmas is a special time for being with family, it's just another day of the year when it comes to what you eat. Don't undo all the good work of the year by gaining pounds over Christmas and then feeling disappointed with yourself.
  3. Allow time for yourself; don't feel obliged to attend every event you are invited to, if you really don't want to go, don't; just decline politely.

How to handle the Christmas buffet
Tempting as that spread may look, don't let it take you up another hole on your belt. Keep the following tips in mind.

  • Avoid going out when you're hungry; you'll more inclined to overeat. Have some fruit, yoghurt, sandwich or cereal beforehand.
  • Don't stand by the food, make your selection and move away; you can come back if you are still genuinely hungry.
  • Select raw vegetables with dips; hummus, guacamole and salsa types, avoiding creamy options.
  • Avoid fried/fatty foods such as sausage rolls. Choose solid pieces of chicken or turkey and remove the skin or look for fish options.
  • If you must indulge in dessert, share with someone (it's much cosier that way, as well).

Tips for 'healthier' drinking

  • Red wine is the drink of choice this season, but any benefits of red wine diminish after a couple of glasses, so don't overdo it.
  • Choose organic drinks when possible, as they have less additives/chemicals, which can cause headaches for some people.
  • Remember that while vodka is the purest alcohol, it's still a toxin.
  • Choose pure fruit juice, soda or mineral water as mixers, keeping away from the sugary, sweetened options.
  • Don't let others constantly top up your glass. Refill it only when you've emptied your glass, so you can keep a check on how much you drink.
  • Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to help prevent dehydration and a hangover the following day.
  • Don't feel pressured into drinking if you really don't want to. Avoid it altogether when driving, as bad weather and other drivers are more of a danger during the holidays.
  • Sparkling water with ice and a slice or a Virgin Mary are good substitutes for an alcoholic drink, especially if you don't want to be seen as a party-pooper.
  • Avoid alcopops; they're heavy on sugar, sweeteners and additives and are easy to guzzle in large volumes.

How to stay feeling fresh
Late nights, alcohol, smoky atmospheres and rich foods can take their toll on the way we look and feel.

If you've had a particularly heavy night, try to take it easier the next day. Have lighter foods, increase your water and fresh vegetable intake and stick to lean protein sources such as chicken, turkey (no short supply at this time) and fish.

Try to:

  • Have breakfast, no matter how small - a piece of fruit, wholemeal cereal, or beans or scrambled eggs on toast.
  • Have juices containing carrot, apple, beetroot, parsley, spinach and ginger to aid detoxification and provide the body with nutrients, especially vitamin C.
  • Include herbs teas, they can help settle the stomach: camomile, peppermint, ginger, fennel or green tea.

Christmas Day tips

  • Have bowls of nuts with dried fruit for snacking instead of the bottomless tins of foil-wrapped sweets.
  • Raw veg with dips (hummus, guacamole or salsa) are a good alternative to pastry-based canapés.
  • Don't drink large volumes of fluid with your meal; this doesn't help to 'wash it down'; it dilutes your digestive secretions thus reducing their effectiveness.
  • Remember to chew your food slowly and thoroughly. Chewing is essential for the digestive process and can help prevent bloating, wind and indigestion.
  • Chewing thoroughly also reduces the likelihood of overeating as it allows the brain the register when you are full.
  • If you want to stockpile your plate, do it with vegetables. Aim for a variety of colours and flavours. Vegetables are a great source of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and you would have to eat vast amounts to get fat on them.
  • Vegetables can be steamed (a bamboo steamer is approx £10 from Muji) and tossed in extra virgin olive oil or unsalted butter with fresh or dried herbs and sea salt and pepper. Steaming is quick and helps to preserve the nutrients.
  • Cut potatoes for roasting into large pieces and parboil them first. This reduces the surface area for oil absorption. Go easy on the oil and use extra virgin olive oil for a subtle nutty flavour.
  • Use garlic and/or fresh or dried herbs for added flavour.
  • Remove the skin from chicken and turkey, it may taste nice but is one of the fattiest things you can eat.
  • Use more vegetable-based stuffing as opposed to sausage meat or breadcrumbs.
  • Use low-fat Greek or live bio yoghurt instead of brandy butter or custard in desserts.
  • Choose one slice of a regular size mince pie rather than trying to kid yourself by having two or three bite-size ones.
  • It may be Christmas and you are taking a break from the office, but don't forget or ignore the need to move. Take some form of exercise each day; even a 15-20 minute walk before or after your main meal is beneficial. It also helps you to feel refreshed, aids digestion and may motivate you to do more than sit there with a tub of toffee-centred specials and a comedy re-run on the TV.

More about The Nutrition Coach

Kate Cook is the founder of The Nutrition Coach. Her book, Whole Health, Inspirational ideas for mind and body well-being, inspires women to take a look at our lifestyles and make small important changes to how we live. She reveals how to:

  • Change set routines
  • Make a little exercise go along way
  • Overcome everyday addictions such as caffeine, tobacco, alcohol and chocolate
  • Get friends and family involved
  • Think healthy

Whole Health, Inspirational ideas for mind and body well-being by Kate Cook, published November 2004 by Infinite Ideas for £12.99.