The festive season can present challenges when it comes to maintaining healthy lifestyle habits. Christmas is of course a time for celebration, and this includes sharing delicious food with friends and family. However, it is important to fully experience the pleasure of eating these foods, rather than mindlessly over-eating just because it is Christmas. Remember, Christmas is just one day of the year and doesn’t have to derail progress or result in weight regain.
In fact, having time off work and the longer daylight hours over summer can help to foster healthy habits. If we choose to, we can utilise a break from our busy schedules to make movement and physical activity a priority. Similarly with food, we can spend more time preparing and enjoying nutritious meals that make the most of fresh, seasonal produce. We can enjoy the experience of eating and sharing meals with others, without overindulging or undoing the healthy habits we’ve worked hard to develop throughout the year.
So, as we enter the festive season, we encourage you to view this as an opportunity to:
· Spend more time outdoors and be physically active
· Prepare nutritious meals to be enjoyed with others
· Practice self-care and prioritise rest
· Reflect on the past year and focus on the lifestyle habits you wish to develop further, in order to feel your best.
Enjoy this festive season by planning ahead and considering the following strategies:
· Incorporate special foods into three meals a day, rather than having them in addition to your usual intake
For example, include summer fruit at breakfast, cheeses and new season potato at lunch and a mini fruit mince pie with dinner*
· Portion control
Continue to serve food on a side plate to help keep your portion sizes appropriate. Opt for small units of treat foods and savour the taste, for example a mini fruit mince pie or wrapped chocolate*
· Maintain a regular eating pattern
If possible, continue to have your 3 meals a day, rather than skipping meals to compensate for a bigger one. This will help to keep your blood sugars balanced and avoid overeating when you do eat.
It may be useful to have a small protein-based snack when going between events if you’re not having 3 structured meals, for example: Greek yogurt, veggie sticks with hummus or a hard-boiled egg
· Stay hydrated
Utilise options like soda water with lemon and mint/water drops, cold and hot brew herbal teas to prevent confusing thirst for hunger
· Set a pre-determined limit for alcohol
Opt for low alcohol varieties or non-alcoholic drinks depending on your post-op stage**
· Listen to your body
Do your best to tune into your hunger-fullness signals and stop eating when you are comfortably full. Christmas can be a time where friends and family may offer you food often, but respect your body and politely decline if you’re feeling full.
· Maintain regular physical activity
Plan outdoor activities such as trips to the beach, backyard cricket, bike rides and evening walks.
· Mindfully enjoy your favourite foods rather than eating everything on offer
· Save treats for Christmas, rather than overindulging too early in the season and/or extending throughout January
* The suitability of these choices will depend on your post-operative stage- continue to follow guidelines regarding texture and food choice, provided by the team
** Our guidelines state no alcohol for the first year post op