Six of the best ways to have a healthy Christmas

Christmas comes but once a year, a time to eat, drink and be merry. But how can you navigate the holiday period and stay healthy? I often find myself indulging more than normal at this time of year, diving into the chocolates and looking forward to mulled wine- this can lead to worrying about setting back all the hard work I’ve put in the lead up to Christmas.

Here you can find some of our top tips to keep up the changes you’ve already made or to lay the groundwork for a healthier New Year!

Plan your events

With Christmas parties, family visits and social outings it can be a rollercoaster of eating or drinking over the holidays. Being mindful of when these things are coming up can let you

plan your days around them.

Enjoying a mince pie and cup of tea? Plan for these occasions, be aware of the calories and consider alternatives, try to stick to a regular pattern with meals and snacks.

If you are going out for a large meal, eat less during the day, think about what you want to have before you go. Can you skip dessert?

Pace yourself

It can feel like there is a lot of pressure to drink during the festive period, but if you’re being healthy it's important to be aware of when and what you are drinking. Keep a diary of your drinks or use the Drink Free Days app to track when you are drinking and how much.

Plan ahead to keep on top of your drinking habits- if you’re meeting for drinks with friends arrange some drink-free days before and after. This will keep your energy up, avoid social burnout and dodge those extra calories!

Make people aware of your healthy choices

Let people know about the healthy changes you’re making. Whether you’re cutting down your portions, having less to drink or quitting smoking, telling the people you see over this period can let them support you, avoid any awkwardness and they can celebrate your progress with you!

Don’t feel embarrassed to be making positive changes, remember why you started in the first place. Write down why you started and where you want to be after Christmas, look at this when things are feeling tough.

Enjoy the Veg!

Food is a big part of Christmas. Mince pies, chocolates and Christmas pud! Try to avoid grazing though, planning your meals and snacks will mean you stay fuller for longer.

Enjoy the healthier options for your turkey dinner. Fill up on veg rich with vitamins, fibre and minerals, like sprouts, carrots or cabbage. Be mindful of roast potatoes or parsnip, as these usually have more fat and higher calories. Enjoy those things that only come at Christmas, but remember not to overdo it, keep your goals in mind. You can find more information about keeping track of what you eat here.

Find other ways to socialise

Christmas can feel like unending eating, drinking and sitting but think about finding other ways to socialise with your friends and family. Taking a brisk wintry walk can be a great way to relax from the hectic schedule, getting out of the house and into nature.

Walking has an impressive impact on your physical and mental health, can be a much-needed change of pace at this time of year, and doesn’t cost a penny! Check out some of our favourite winter walks here. Could this be a new Christmas tradition?

Be kind to yourself

Perhaps the most important tip! Don’t put too much pressure on yourself at this time of year, avoid the all or nothing mindset. Small changes and little wins will add-up, celebrate them! If things don’t go quite to plan, don’t give up! Think about what you can do to make those changes easier, start now and get a head start going into the New Year!

The key thing this Christmas is to think about where you want to be with your goals in the New Year, do what you can where you can and hopefully some of these tips can help you keep on track! We are here to help you Register?or?contact us?today to take your next step to LiveWell.?

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How does this work?

The tailored approach LiveWell Dorset uses to come up with solutions to the things that are stopping us achieving our goals, is based upon work done by University College London developing the COM-B model of behaviour change. In this model, all behaviour is influenced by understanding a person’s capability to change, their opportunity to change and their motivation to change. By understanding which of these is the biggest barrier to change, we can tailor support accordingly. This model of behaviour change is at the centre of the support we offer, online and in person.

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