10 Top tips to avoid ballooning over Christmas

Hello folks, so many of you have been asking about Christmas and how the training and nutritional goals may take a hit over this period and how you can try and stay on top of this.

Well, in fairness, it’s a time to be jolly. So I say enjoy it!

Obviously you don’t want to completely ruin all that hard work you have put in over the past weeks/months, so you definitely want a little control. I wouldn’t set your target too high as you and I know it just wouldn’t happen.

So I have come up with my 10 top realistic tips for staying on top of things over Christmas and the New Year:

Drink a glass (500ml) of water first thing in the morning. This will awaken the mind and hydrate the body.
Don’t starve your body in preparation for a huge meal. Have a small bowl of low GI Scottish Oats porridge. This will should keep you going long enough to avoid picking on naughty nibbles!
Get outside for some fresh air and exercise. It may be cold but a nice mid/long walk will soon warm you up. 1 hour of moving about will suffice!
Stay hydrated with water and healthy snacks to keep you going. Nuts, seeds, small handful of berries etc.
When meal time comes, have another glass of water before you start! This will slow down the urge for something naughty again
Start filling your plate veggies! Starting early will ensure you don’t over indulge so much on the other macro nutrients that you don’t leave space for some vital greens!
Next up – get your protein up. For meat eaters this is the time to be jolly! Try to get the highest nutritional value in i.e. lean protein. Chicken or Turkey breast meat, salmon, eggs. Try to avoid large portions of fatty meat such as lamb.
Balance with starchy carbohydrates. Given the amount of protein and fibrous carbs that would be on your plate, this should leave space for only a handful size of these carbohydrates. You won’t need much unless you are planning on training the same evening J
Try to avoid those sugary drinks. It may be difficult, but try to limit yourself to ONE beverage of choice: beer, glass of wine etc.
Implement a cut off point for eating. It may be difficult but will definitely help you in the long run!