Creating a healthy holiday plan

OK, weigh-in check...

Pounds lost since 1 January 2020: 20.25lbs

I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself, if I'm honest. But now comes the real test...

Ah, Christmas... it's that time of year again. The season of eating and drinking and generally being merry. The season of mince pies and roast potatoes and stuffing and cheese and crackers and shortbread... This time of year, there seems to be an abundance of food around which, for anyone trying to stay healthy, can be a nightmare.

Although nobody's got the Christmas they were planning this year, that probably makes it even more stressful and the temptation to stress eat and binge on all those mince pies can be overwhelming. But, fear not! For I have a plan, and I'm feeling pretty good about it.

No doubt many will likely be expecting to gain a bit of weight at this time of year, eating well, drinking more, etc. etc.... I mean, New Year's resolutions are for losing the weight again, right?!

But what about all that effort I've put in this year? I don't want that just to go to waste. I've no doubt Christmas is going to test my self-control capabilities, but I really want this to be a healthy holiday season.

So, how is that possible? It can be tough to figure out how to balance enjoying your favourite festive foods while still sticking to all the healthy habits you've now got in place. But never fear - I have some strategies I'm going to try out this Christmas - and, of course, try and remain realistic about it all.

1. Balance my plate

If we're really breaking it down for Christmas dinner, protein should make up about a quarter of your plate - that's likely your turkey and your pigs in blankets. In other words, that should be about the size of your palm. 

Carbs should also make up about a quarter of your plate - your roast tatties, your stuffing, sweet potatoes... Yorkshire puds, if you're in the mood. Another palm-sized portion. And remember - you don't have to have it all at that meal - I mean, there'll be some great left-overs for a Boxing Day toastie.

Veggies should make up half of your plate. Possibly a harder ask, to be honest. But that's your carrots, brussels, parsnips, cabbage... you get the idea.

Fats and oils - what you cook it all in should really be no bigger than the size of your thumb.

If you can keep to all of that, you should have met your quota.

Ultimately, what goes onto my plate and into my mouth is up to me - so I'm going to try and stick to these portion sizes, aiming to eat until I'm satisfied, not until I'm stuffed!

2. Keep track of what I eat

Logging food and counting calories has been so helpful so far, as it helps me to stick to my budget and understand better what it is I'm eating and how I'm fuelling my body.

Logging can also be really helpful in the moment and can be the difference between that extra piece of gingerbread that you didn't really need and the satsuma that was in your stocking!

I'm going to try and log as much as I can - especially my snacks. That should help to keep my shortbread intake to more sensible levels and help me not to completely blow my budget.

3. Keep drinking - water!

Often, we forget that drinks have calories - and empty calories at that. I mean, who feels full after drinking a glass of wine?! They can easily tip you over your calorie budget. So, if I want to enjoy a little Bailey's in the evening (maybe even a Bailey's hot chocolate) and a little glass of wine over dinner, then I'll be making sure I have water for the rest of the day.

To be honest, this is something I usually do anyway, so it won't be a step away from the norm - and I think trying to keep to normal routines is helpful when you're trying to stay healthy.

4. Stay active

Christmas isn't an excuse just to stay sitting down the whole day. Although it's more traditional to go for a walk on Boxing Day, who says you can't do the same on Christmas Day as well?!

5. Just enjoy...

Ultimately, Christmas is a celebration; it's meant to be enjoyed! Food is really only one piece of the puzzle (and really not the central message of Christmas at all).

So if all the planning goes to pot, never mind! I can enjoy the day without worrying about what I'm going to eat - it is, after all, a celebration of Jesus' birth, and that's what I'll be focusing on most.

At the end of it all, it's only one day out of the year, and if all fails, I know exactly how to hop back on the bandwagon and start again the next day - all is not lost!

Whatever your hopes for staying healthy are this Christmas, a healthy holiday plan like this one can really help. But either way - whatever your holiday season looks like - I wish you a very merry Christmas!

Love,
Bekah xx