How To Have the Worst Christmas Ever

You know how it is – every year when the holidays roll around, gym sessions start to get swapped for drinks, morning walks for a lie in, salmon and veg for cookies and candies! When the holiday season rolls around – you sure know it because your tummy is as full as your social calendar!

Food is central to A LOT of social events, occasions and holidays. We organise feasts, potlucks, dinners out and drinks (rose for me please) and that’s why I love this time of year! I get to enjoy a lot of the foods that I don’t get to enjoy the rest of the year. 

But why do we always want to have the worst Christmas ever? By this I mean we stop allll of our good habits and training that we normally do year round. Stop moving your body, stop meeting your hydration goals, stop stretching, stop meditating, stop journaling… how does that sound? …TERRIBLE!

Dropping your routine and falling into the holiday ‘trap’ is a surefire way for you to have the WORST Christmas ever!

This is the time of year when a lot of us do stop the good habits that we have worked so hard to form over the past year, and our bodies will feel it! Keeping your routine as much as possible during this time of year is so essential to not only the health of your physical body, but your mind as well.

So how do we flip the script? Well, I for one plan on eating and drinking to my little heart’s content over the holidays! But that just means that I will have a tad bit extra fuel in my tank to keep moving my body! The best thing we can do when we have consumed excess calories is to USE that energy for movement! Not only will this keep us on track with our goals, it will keep our body healthy and mind sane!

There are plenty of other habits myself and my community have been working on this year, that will help you keep yourself in check and hold yourself accountable – and honestly, most importantly, to help you feel GOOD.

My Top Ten Tricks To Feel Your Best This Holiday Season Whilst Eating All The Things

1. Drink 2-3 L of water every day, and one glass of water before meals
2. Move your body for at least 30 minutes every day
3. Set yourself a daily step goal
4. Pick and choose your indulgences (my rule of thumb is that I don’t eat anything that I could eat any time – for example, go for Mum’s secret walnut cake recipe, but maybe steer clear of the store-bought cupcakes)
5. Meditate for 5 minutes every day
6. Focus on the real reason for social gatherings… connections, not necessarily food and drink!
7. Implement a daily stretch routine for at least 5 minutes
8. Make sure you are getting enough sleep (approx. 7-9 hours per night)
9. Try to eat mindfully and slowly, so you can recognise when you are full
10. Prioritise protein, fibre and veggies 

Just think about how hard you have worked to develop positive habits around eating, drinking, fitness and mindset! Fitting it in to your burgeoning schedule may seem challenging, but like with anything in life, it’s just about making it fit – making it work for YOU! If that means you have to break up your workouts to 5 minutes every hour, then that’s just how your are going to have to get it done.

At the end of the day, the holidays only come around once a year right? So sit back and relax, enjoy yourselves – try and stick to your plan, but don’t let it come in between you and your loved ones. The holidays are all about spending time with the people we love, so try and focus on what is actually important – connecting with them.