‘Tis the season to be jolly’ – and for many of us, that means over-indulgence and many hours sitting in front of the television. It is a hard time of year to be watching your health, whether that’s counting calories, getting active or quitting smoking.
There are so many irresistible temptations, and the weather doesn’t always help in our motivation to get up off the sofa. Add to this the fact that many people find Christmas a stressful and poignant pause and it’s easy to see why the festive season is a time people ditch their good intentions.
The average person puts on anywhere between 0.8 and 2 pounds over the Christmas period, which might not be as much as you would expect bearing in mind that the average person consumes nearly 6000 calories on Christmas day (that’s 3x the average daily amount for a woman). In this edition, we want to highlight a few simple strategies to help you make the most of the festival without feeling like you’ve let yourself go.
Pay attention to Portions
It might sound obvious but watching how much you eat and what you eat can make a difference. The traditional Christmas lunch is basically a roast which includes some of your essential food groups. Fill half your plate with veggies, a quarter with potatoes and the final quarter with turkey (or your protein option if you are veggie/vegan). When it comes to the extras like piggies in blankets take one and go back for more if you need to that way you won’t over-feed yourself. It’s always good to use smaller plates too – it will make you eat less without feeling like you’re scrimping.
It might also be useful to know that it takes 20 minutes for food to travel to your stomach, so take your time and pay attention to when you feel full.
Download our handy Portion Guide
Download our Eat Well Plate
Why not print it off and put it on the fridge as a handy reminder?
Pick at Puddings and Nibbles
Let’s be frank – Christmas is a total sugar fest. And this isn’t just the chocolates and puddings but the starchy snacks that breakdown into sugars when we digest them. It would be unrealistic to suggest that you don’t take a visit to the sugar buffet but be mindful of the amount of sugar you are eating. Instead of having a huge piece of cake have a smaller slice. A taste is better than nothing and you might surprise yourself and not need to go back for a second helping.
Happy Hydration
What we drink can have a huge impact on our health over Christmas. Nearly 60% of adults will binge drink on Christmas day. Just to put that into context that means drinking 6 or more units for a woman and 8 or more for men and bear in mind the glass of wine you pour yourself will most probably be more than one unit. Alcohol is a depressant and it will disrupt your sleep patterns leaving you irritable, lethargic and unable to concentrate.
We would suggest having a large jug of iced water on the Christmas table, you could add sliced lemon or satsuma for fun. Also, there are lots of alcohol-free alternatives to our favourite tipples which can help you avoid alcohol altogether or just peppered through the day to reduce your unit intake.
Here’s a handy Drink Smart guide to help.
Season for Sleep
Christmas is a hectic and busy season for many people which plays havoc with our energy levels, this and heightened emotions can interfere with your sleep patterns. Which in turn can have a huge impact on your physical, mental and emotional health.
Try to give yourself at least a 45 minute wind-down before you go to bed where you put down the blue screens and put the worries of the day away. This can be easier said than done though, after all there are usually lots of things to think about and arrange before the day. If you are having trouble with worries or getting your brain to sleep we’d recommend the free session offered by Wellbeing Suffolk ‘Improving your sleep’, which highlights why sleep is so important, how much sleep you need and provides strategies to improve your sleep hygiene.
We also have our handy Sleep Guide.
Get outside and be active
Christmas can be a great time to make the most of your time out and get active. From mid-December to mid-January the Ramblers Associations celebrates it’s ‘Festival of Winter Walks’. Indeed, many of us take the opportunity to get on the wellies and bobble hats to enjoy the great outdoors at Christmas. Not only can being active help you spend some calories, but it also helps you to sleep better.
It is especially important to try to get out of doors in the winter to bag yourself some vitamin D. Vitamin D is important for our mood and can help us to build strong bones. It is especially important if you have black or brown skin. For more advice on where to go and how to get active take a look at the ‘Be Active’ pages of our website.
One final tip on this – the Ramblers Association host our very own Wellbeing Walks who are holding a group walk at Nowton Park in Bury St Edmunds on 26th December starting at 10.15am.
For more information about this and other winter walks visit the Wellbeing Walk portal on the Ramblers Associations website.
Be Kind
Be kind to those around you and most importantly to yourself. As human beings, we can sometimes forget to take time out to connect with those around us. It is not by accident that Giving is part of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. We are social animals and helping and being helped by others is incredibly important to our health and wellbeing. It is said that loneliness and isolation are as damaging to your health as smoking. So, if you know anyone who might need a kind ear or a helping hand, it won’t be just them who benefits.
But it’s also worth emphasising the importance of being kind to yourself. This time of year can be stressful and if you are feeling overwhelmed make some time to stop and be kind to you.
We would like to wish you all the very best of the festive season and a happy and healthy new year. And if you are planning to make some more significant changes to your lifestyle in the new year don’t forget we’re there to help you to make your resolutions a reality.
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