A step-by-step guide on ways to enjoy yourself this silly season without overdoing it on the sweet stuff…
1. Bring your own! If you find yourself invited to a friends or families be sure to bring your own dish! Whether that’s a savoury dish, salad or modified sweet treat… That way you are guaranteed to have a meal you can turn to if nothing else is working for you!
2. Just like the food, make your own cocktails, I personally love using Nuvia to create fun and tasty cocktails that are also sugar free! Check out my sugar-free strawberry daiquiris using Nuvia.
3. Aim for protein and loads of veg! Protein aids satiety, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and keeps you fuller for longer! This in turn means a lowered chance of wanting to reach for your second pudding or inhale a box of Lindt choccies! If you are worried about overdoing it on all the sweet stuff, fill your plate up with veggies, salad and lean proteins. The fibre from the veggies will keep you full and keep your tummy satisfied all day long.
4. On that note…. Stay hydrated! Did you know often we mistake thirst for hunger? So ensure you keep well hydrated throughout the day and between alcoholic beverages. Perhaps sip on some cool water with lemon! I personally enjoy gin or vodka with some sparkling water and fresh citrus! This will keep you more hydrated than the sugar laden cocktails and bottles of wine will, and is much lower in the sweet stuff!
5. Go for a walk or try fit in your regular workout in the morning! This will ramp up your metabolism for the day and use up some energy – plus getting your body moving releases endorphins, putting you in a better mood, stimulates blood flow and supports energy levels! #winning!
“Both blood sugar and insulin are incredibly important to everyone’s overall health”
6. Be smart when snacking! While it can feel merely impossible to escape all the food during Christmas, be clever and choose what you are snacking on wisely! Great options are lean meats, some hard cheese, nuts, homemade hummus, fruit and veggies! If your friends and family aren’t so health conscious, perhaps bring your own delicious and healthy grazing platter – and load it up with veggies.
7. Still get your 8 hours. Lack of sleep actually effects our levels of leptin and ghrelin, the two hormones that control our feelings of hunger and satiety! So ensuring you are still snoozing well throughout the silly season will help keep your hormones in check and random hunger pangs at bay!
8. Don’t skip on breakfast! You’ve probably heard it a million times before, but beginning your day with a balanced breakfast will put your day off to a good start, prevent hunger pangs, keep your blood sugar levels stable and keep you energised all day! My favourite breakfasts before a busy day are poached eggs with avocado, an omelette with olive oil, spinach and sauteed veggies, or a smoothie with a scoop of protein powder, nuts, berries and a handful of greens!
9. Be the dessert queen or king! If you want to have your cake and eat it too, make your own! Replacing sugar with Nuvia is one of my favourite ways of being able to eat delicious treats that taste equally as good as the sugar laden varieties, minus the nasty side effects of a sugar binge!
10. Be treatwise! By no means should your Christmas holiday period be spent dodging every single treat or food that comes your way, but knowing when you have had enough is the important part! Listen to your body, tune in. Are you full? Are you eating out of hunger or emotion? Are you thirsty? Savour the food and enjoy it!
