You are probably looking at the title of this article and thinking: “Great, just what I need, another fitness fanatic lecturing me about health and sucking all the fun out of Xmas”.
I understand how you feel (I've read those pieces too), so I'm coming at the topic from another angle. Rather than bleat on about all the fun things you MUST NOT DO this Christmas, I've come up with seven non-restrictive tips that should help you minimise damage while not missing out on any of the fun ...
1. Eat Before Partying
A simple one, this. Whenever possible, eat a large healthy meal (with plenty of protein and fat to keep your feeling full) before you indulge in a few glasses of sherry.
We make our worst food choices when we've had a few to drink - and the temptation to over-indulge on unhealthy snacks is even stronger at Christmas. Enough said.
2. Walk it off
Walking is the single best and easiest to implement fat loss hack out there. Just by walking at a brisk pace every day for just 20 minutes you’ll go a long way to offsetting all that unwanted fat accumulation typically associated with the holidays.
If you can do it fasted in the morning then all the better, but don't worry if you wake up ravenous at midday after a night on the tiles. Those 20 minutes will still make the world of difference.
3. Skip Breakfast
3. Skip Breakfast
Contrary to everything else you’ll read on this subject, I advise that you skip breakfast during the festive period.
OK, I get the whole 'start the day as you mean to go on' thing, but skipping breakfast will allow your natural growth hormone to stay active longer, which means you get a bit of extra leeway to play with in terms of festive lunch and dinner indulgence.
(Slight caveat here: that lovely growth hormone I mentioned is going to be null and void if you’ve nuked your system with alcohol the night before.)
4. Sleep Well
It's been a tough year, so if you are in need of a rest make sure you get it over Xmas by sleeping without alarms when possible and taking naps if you’ve had some late nights.
Basically, the more you can sleep the better. It will combat the damage of alcohol and help you keep your spirits high at a time of year that can be as draining as it is joyous.
5. Indulge in moderation
How many times have you or your family members eaten to the point of indigestion and stomach problems on Xmas day? Remember that celebration is all about feeling good; eating to excess will make you feel horrible and potentially ruin your day.
By all means eat, drink and be merry – nothing should be off-limits at Xmas – but just don't go over the top. You'll only end up regretting it.
6. Protect Your Muscle
Whether my clients are aiming to bulk up or reduce fat, I always tell them that muscle mass is the real commodity they want to protect. It’s so much harder to gain muscle than lose boy fat, especially as you get older. So be sure to keep your quality sources of protein consistent over the next few weeks, perhaps even supplementing with BCAA or Glutamine as an extra layer of protection.
Quick rule of thumb: many men reduce protein intake when inactive, but in reality, you are far better off reducing carbs than protein, as these will help feed your muscle mass without storing excess energy as fat.
7. Set Goals
Xmas and New Years is a great time of year to consider your fitness and set out your goals for the months ahead. Having a goal and plan of action already laid out for the new year will act on you subconsciously to help guide you through tricky decision processes during the festive season.
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