How To Deal With Christmas

Its December…Christmas is the best time of the year right? All the party’s, fizz, food, and the kids little faces!!!

Its just brilliant but also very busy, stressful and one big month of celebrating. So how do you deal with it if your trying to loose fat or trying to get/ stay fit and healthy?

Here is my low down on how to deal with Christmas!

PREPERATION

As always preparation is key, so while I cant advise you on how to order enough food for twenty people, or tell you what on earth your going to buy your aunty Sheila, I can help you prepare to stay on track for Christmas!

For this bit you will need a calender/ diary and your POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE!

So I want you to-

1. Write down a goal to reach before Christmas, before New Year and before Jan 15th!

2. Schedule in all the days you will exercise from now until January 2nd. Now finding the time is the difficult bit, think about getting up earlier or trying one of our free workouts HERE which you can do around the kids.

3. Some PHBP members get feel good meals each week, this is one or two meals off plan where they get to have a little bit of what they fancy without having to think about tracking or sticking to their food plan.

So plan your 'feel good meals’ for your social occasions (if your lucky enough to have any) and enjoy these but make sure all your other days you are in your calorie deficit (allowing for these extra calories). But don't go too mental, its one meal not a full day or weekend!

FYI Christmas day is a complete day off everything, New Years day dinner should be your first Feel good MEAL of the year. 

4. Set a Christmas resolution, because realistically its now you will need the discipline not in January when there is NOTHING going on!  

Hopefully with these mini goals in place, your training plan, and your Christmas resolutions, Christmas will be a breeze...now just to tackle Smyths!

THE ALCOHOL

As far as alcohol goes its all about picking sensible and moderation.

If your macro tracking half your calories on alcohol is just plain silly, although it will keep you in a calorie deficit its not good. I would recommend taking my above advice and saving those big drinking occasions for your ‘feel good meal’ and then track the occasional glass or two!

Here is the calorie low down to keep on track to your fat loss goal, just remember MODERATION!

Please just be sensible, responsible and safe! I’m sure you know if your drinking too much you should try and cut back, all i’m going to say is- Is it worth the hangover and the calories?

Champagne
87 calories (1 glass)

Light beer
110 calories as appose to sometimes 300!

Alcohol Free Beer, for my Pregnant Ladies!
35 calories as appose to sometimes 300 in normal beer! Yeah, Yeah I know its alcohol free but if your pregnant its such a treat!

White wine
120 calories (1 serving, 5 fl oz 147g)

Red wine
125 calories (1 serving, 5 fl oz 147g).

Vodka
64 calories (80-proof, 1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)
Always serve with a diet mixture and you have a low calorie drink!

Rum
64 calories (80-proof, 1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)

Tequila, salt and lemon juice is calorie free!
65 calories (1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)

Cognac, Because CHRISTMAS!
69 calories (1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)

Whiskey, Someone say hot toddy?
70 calories (86-proof, 1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)

Gin

73 calories (90-proof, 1 serving, 1 fl oz 27.8g)

With all the gin trends around be careful because most of them are actually liquors which contain sugar and therefore more calories (I would highly recommend the Edinburgh Gin Tour as part of a Hen do, I am a wealth of knowledge on the subject).

THE NIBBLES

I’m just going to go straight in with some healthy, low calorie alternatives here!

For the Crisp lovers- Popchips

For the Ice cream lovers- Breyers/ Halo top

For the Nut lovers- All pretty high calorie so MODERATION

For the Dip lovers- Low fat Hummus/ Salsa/ Low fat Sour Cream/Low fat flavoured cream cheese and Broghies wafers (morrisons/ Iceland)

For the Mince pie lover- My recipe in the blog!

For the Chocolate lovers- MODERATION, you just cant substitute Dairy Milk/ Toblerone

For the Cheese board lovers- Low fat cheddar, Low fat Feta, MODERATION on the rest and pick the lowest calorie crackers.

For the Bread lovers- Bagel thins, Marks and spencer’s Ciabatta buns, Morrisons Brioche buns, Folded flat breads

THE CHRISTMAS DINNER

The mash is extra creamy, there’s bacon and chestnuts on the sprouts, honey on the carrots, and roasties done in goose fat, and its AMAZING!

Its the dinner of the year and you should enjoy it, i’m just leaving these tips here (maybe just think about it for new years dinner ey!)

  • Steam and boil and when you want roasted then try spray oils/ frylight.

  • Pick a lean meat, Chicken and Turkey Breast, even some cuts of beef are lean, and if it isn't just avoid the fat and manage portion control.

  • Avoid added butter and oil by cooking yourself.

  • If you are eating out and come across some fat loaded veggies then just portion control these.

  • I know Frozen Yorkshires arnt like Nannas but you could save a whopping 100 calories by choosing the frozen ones!

  • Use Heck Chicken Sausages and lean Bacon for your pigs In blankets.

  • For Pud, portion control and opt for low calorie ice cream/ custard.

  • Instead of a high fat nut roast for Veggies or Vegans opt for substitute Sausages to monitor portion control.

THE BUFFETS, BREAKFASTS AND BOXING DAY CURRY

If your a Marks and Spencer’s lover like me then the party food is all macro trackable!

The way to manage at a buffet if you cant track is to basically go up, pick what you really want, monitor the portion control in high fat foods (pastry and cake) and then STEP AWAY FROM THE BUFFET, and do not return! SIMPLES!

For the Breakfasts this is super easy, Grilled lean bacon and reduced fat sausages. grilled Veggies, plenty of eggs (well less egg yolk, more egg whites to bulk up your plate) and a bagel or bread thin with reduced light butter!

As a PHBP you would be able to have Pancakes, Muffins, French toast, Granola, Scones!!!Lots of tasty recipes!

The Boxing Day Curry is basically any left overs right? I would recommend making your own tomato based curry or using a curry paste and avoiding any extra fats, bulk it up with plenty of veggies and try and serve it with a small portion of rice and some turmeric roasted Cauliflower to add volume!

If you like a dipping bread try a folded flat bread (around 90 calories) add some garlic paste to some light butter, brush it on and grill it!

So there you have it! If I can think of anything else I will edit this and let you know, but if you have any questions or want some alternatives just comment below!

If you would like more information on how I could coach you over Christmas and keep you on track check out the memberships HERE or contact me HERE.

PHBPMaricarmen JaramilloComment