Getting Festive and Staying Healthy Over the Silly Season
Warm weather, work parties, BBQ’s, family gatherings, Christmas, New Years, holidays, Australia Day… and the list goes on! It’s the best time of year and a great time to relax and just enjoy the ride. A little over indulging is generally part of the parcel and in a lot of ways there is nothing wrong with that! The problem is often the aftermath of such festivities. Many people end up feeling a little deflated at the extra kilos, bloated and sluggish, lack energy and have a general feeling of needing to get themselves back into shape… enter the all too predictable ‘new year’s resolution’.
Feeling restricted in what you can and cannot do or eat is just no fun at all, so with the following tips and tricks we hope to equip you with a couple of habits that lessen the negative affects of all the ‘party party’ but allow you to revel in the good times and emerge in tact, feeling good and ready to go again!
Stay hydrated – seems pretty straight forward but it can be surprisingly hard when your fluids consist of mostly alcohol, albeit refreshing! Alcohol is dehydrating so it’s a great idea to have a glass of water in between drinks… it will also help the headache the next morning! Drinking water assists your body in detoxing and flushing out all the sweets and treats you find making their cheeky little way onto your plate. When we are dehydrated, it makes us tired and sluggish, which as a result means we are less likely to be out playing backyard cricket or taking the dog for a walk and more likely to be laying up on the lounge watching Netflix all afternoon (which usually involves more snacking).
Get moving – we are not suggesting you run a marathon or do a huge gym session every day (although, if that’s your thing, go for it), just get outside and be active! Play outside with the kids, walk your dog, go to the beach, do a few laps in the pool, play a casual game of tennis, do some gardening or take a stroll down town for coffee instead of driving. Just make a conscious effort to move your body every day, and notice how good it makes you feel! Your body will thank you for it, your mind will be happier and all the food and drinks will taste all the better for it!
Include fresh fruit and vegetables – this one is quite easy to do! The warm weather blesses us with so many delicious tropical fruits (hello mango daiquiri) that can be enjoyed with almost every meal. Salads are also great at this time of year and getting one bowl of salad greens a day can make a huge difference to your overall health. Consider using carrot sticks along side the crackers on your nibblies tray, throwing a bunch of fresh herbs in with your eggs in the morning and you should always make a conscious effort to include vegetables with your dinner. Fruits can also be a great substitute for a sugary dessert, the natural sugars satisfy that sweet craving while adding fiber and vitamins and minerals, without the toxic load. If you need inspiration the internet has 1 million trillion recipes that use fruit as a sugar substitute or in a dessert recipe. Get creative and enjoy the ‘fruits’ of your labor!
Lastly, get a good sleep every night. Tired bodies are similar to drunk bodies and don’t make good choices. Combine drunk and tired and you have some serious problems. So if you need a sleep in or an afternoon nap, enjoy it! Go for a walk or a jog when you wake up (or even simply do a few stretches on the bedroom floor!) and then brace yourself for the next meal. You got this!
