Christmas is just around the corner & with it comes a seemingly endless procession of parties, after work drinks & family gatherings. The festive season can be great for our social lives but not so great for our waistline.
At this time of the year, it becomes so much harder to maintain those nutrition & health goals you have worked so hard on all year. However, with a little planning and commitment you can still enjoy all those celebrations whilst looking after your health at the same time.
These few tips from Elaine, our Nutritionist based in our Belmont pharmacy, will help keep you on track:
Regular meal patterns can be easily disrupted. Where possible stick to 3 main meals per day. Aim to include a good quality protein, a wholegrain carbohydrate & pair them with antioxidant rich vegetables each meal. If you can balance those macronutrients, it will keep hunger & cravings at bay & minimise overeating.
Portion sizes in restaurants seem to be growing & we are often eating more than we should. Instead of choosing a main meal, why not choose a starter & pair it with a side of vegetables or salad. If you can’t resist that Christmas dessert, opting to share one with a friend will reduce your evening calorie load.
With alcohol containing 7 calories per gram (just behind fat at 9cal/g), it is all too easy to be inadvertently consuming more than you realise. The age-old trick of alternating alcoholic drinks with water & measuring those ‘home pour’ drinks to ensure standard sizes, are effective ways to manage this. Also, be conscious of mixer choices & those calorie laden cocktails.
Preparation is everything. Writing down all the events you will be attending throughout the festive season & mapping out your day’s food choices will set you up well. Checking restaurant menus in advance will allow you to make better choices. Lastly, try to schedule time to ramp up your activity levels. Not only will it improve your mood & sleep, but it will make weight control that bit easier. Come January, your future self will thank you!
Our in-house nutritionist at the Belmont pharmacy, Elaine Waller, is an Associate Nutritionist (ANutr.) with the Nutrition Society of Australia.
Elaine is passionate about evidence-based advice to improve your overall health and wellbeing. Working one-on-one in partnership with you, Elaine will guide your journey to better health, ensuring you have goals and check-ins along the way.
Begin your journey today!
