The festive season and holidays are around the corner and it is inevitably a time where health and fitness falls slightly by the wayside.
Many people choose to focus more on time spent together, family and just enjoying the moment, which is all incredibly important. However, fitness and health can still be taken into consideration with our easy tips for the holidays.
1) Shop Well for Yourself
Before the holidays even begin, make sure your pantry or fridge is stocked up with healthy, convenient snacks and foods. The easier they are to obtain, the more likely you are to snack on them. If snack vegetables are in your fridge already, you can snack on those while you’re waiting for Christmas lunch, instead of choosing chips or something else unhealthy.
2) Schedule Your Exercise
Because your schedule will be fairly hectic during the holidays, make sure you schedule in time for exercise the same way you’d schedule time with family. If you know it’s set for a certain time or day, you’re more likely to stick to it and follow through than skip it. Ideally, try get in exercise 3 times a week during the holidays as this doesn’t put too much pressure on your schedule, but still gets you moving.
3) Remove Yourself From The Situation
If someone is offering you a snack or treat that you know you should avoid, leave the room. Go and chat to another family member in another room where the snack isn’t. This will physically remove the temptation without making it a big deal.
4) Avoid Baking
Baking is almost entirely synonymous with holidays and Christmas, but if you can avoid being assigned baked goods, do it. Baking may be fun and delicious, but you’re also more likely to sample as you’re baking which only makes you fuller on the food you don’t want to be full on.
5) Take the Family Outside
After everyone is full from a yummy Christmas lunch, get everyone outside. South African Christmas is typically very warm so getting everyone running on the lawn or bombing into the swimming pool is a great way to get a bit active. Plus, the time with the kids is good for your happiness levels.
6) Hydrate
The festive holidays are huge for wine and champagne, especially over New Year. Make sure you have your favourite glass bottle near you and try to drink water often. Make a goal, for example, any time someone says “roast chicken,” “Merry Christmas,” or “holidays,” you drink another gulp of water.
