5 Tips To Stay (Kind Of) Healthy This Christmas

Christmas is a matter of sleeps away, which means Mariah Carey and The Pogues are following you everywhere…

It’s acceptable to eat chocolate for breakfast and there’s endless supplies of mince pies and chocolate tins wherever you go.

(And you always end up eating some).

While there’s no doubt that the festive season is great fun if we’re being honest – it’s also full of stress and excess.

You’re trying to get everything sorted in time for Christmas Day, as well as be on top form for all of your friends and families celebrations.

All the while eating copious amount of platters of nibbles and maybe even enjoying more drinks than you usually would.

I don’t want to turn into Scrooge over Christmas, I wanted to write this to let you know there’s a middle ground between over-doing it at all the Christmas parties and replacing all chocolate with vegetables instead.

Even if it’s just factoring in a 20 minute afternoon walk each day, focusing more on protein, and choosing good quality wine or gin over a big glass of Bailey’s…

There’s plenty of ways to keep healthy, and not push to the side all of the hard work you’ve done leading up to the Christmas period.

So with that, here’s 5 tips to help you do that:

Switch  Things Up In The Kitchen

There’s a handful of easy swaps that can taper the excess indulging and keep you feeling healthy.

Why not try sweet potatoes instead of your usual spuds?

You can roast them or turn them into delicious mash.

Plus they’re high in fibre, potassium and vitamin A – just a handful of essential nutrients a lot of us miss out on.

When it comes to enjoying a nice drink, think about switching from heavy, creamy drinks to a good, quality white tequila with ice and fresh lime, or a nice glass of wine.

There’s plenty of ways to swap foods for tasty, healthy options without them being ‘boring’.

Eat More Citrus

I begin each and every day with a cup of hot water and lemon.

And in my fridge is always a fresh jug of water with sliced up lemon.

It’s a great way to get the body ready in the morning and for a good detox.

And if you’re feeling under the weather (because who isn’t after these last few weeks of crazy weather?!) add a teaspoon of honey to chase the winter bugs away.

Look After Yourself

We’re all aware of the importance of exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.

But this time of year can make it really easy to let those good habits slip.

If you’ve already established a routine, do your best to stick to it.

Even if that goes out of the window, give yourself at least 10 minutes of ‘me time’ a day…

So you don’t always feel like you’re running around trying to get things done.

Bring A Healthy Option

This one is especially for you if you’ve got plenty of Christmas parties to go to…

(And if you’ve been asked to bring a dish along with you).

Look up a healthy recipe, or a healthy alternative to a Christmas dish online for everyone to enjoy.

Christmas parties and buffets don’t have to be full of unhealthy options!

My final tip…

Take Some Time Out

Seriously.

You’re likely rushing around all day, every day at the moment, so it’s important to make yourself a hot drink and put your feet up for a moment.

You could find time to play a fun family board game, read a book or watch your favourite TV show.

Taking some quality time out of your hectic schedule this time of year is essential.

There you have it – 5 simple ways to not get as stressed and stay healthy this time of year.

Have a wonderful Christmas!😊🎄