We’ve all been there, eating everything in sight, because it’s Christmas! And there’s nothing wrong with letting yourself have some treats and enjoying yourself over the festive period, but don’t use it as an excuse to ruin all the hard work you’ve put in over the year. You don’t want to be back at square one in January.
January always seems to feel like the toughest month, it’s been an expensive December, you’re struggling to feel motivated after a long and maybe tough year and let’s face it, if you’re anything like me then post Christmas is a bit of an anticlimax. So don’t impact it with having to work extra hard to get back to where you were in November.
No one says you have to be the food police at this time of year, but instead of treating yourself every day, multiple times a day, maybe pick two days over the festive period as ‘off days’ where you can enjoy the things you’ve maybe been holding back on. And remember, Christmas is only a week, not a whole month!
Set yourself some goals that you want to hit by January, you still have a week. Giving yourself something to work towards will help you stave off the overwhelming temptation to stuff your face. And try not to listen to the negative people in your life that think you’re ‘missing out’, ‘not joining in’ or ‘being boring’. We all have different interest, goals and aspirations for our lives, and yours is to be healthier and fitter, so keep it up.
There are some less calorific ways to enjoy your food and drink that don’t mean less taste or fun. So you can switch the beer and wine for spirits and diet mixers, you can also get some really good low-calorie wines now! When everyone else is raiding the Roses, why not try one of Cadbury’s new 30% less sugar chocolate bars to chase away the sugar cravings. And when everyone’s tucking into those crazy deserts you could substitute it for some sugar-free chocolate Angel Delight with Sweet Freedom chocolate syrup and strawberries. It tastes just as good as the calorie-loaded treats but with way less of the guilt.
Make time for the gym if you can, even if you steal an hour in the morning, it will give you an energy boost for the day and remind you why you’re doing all this. If you’re doing it right the gym shouldn’t feel like a chore, make it as fun as you can with some mini circuits or calorie targets on the machines. Maybe even aim for a PB on something, really give you something to be proud of over Christmas.
If you can get your family and friends involved, do it! They don’t necessarily have to come to the gym with you but help them understand why you enjoy it and what you get out of it. You’ll be surprised how many people come round to it and even prefer your low-calorie treats over their full-fat feasts.
So make sure that in January you get ahead of those that have really pushed the boat out at Christmas and keep up the good work!
